Yet Another Avatar Fanfic
by CrispyDruid
Summary: My notion of where the series goes after it ended. Post-war Fire Nation - will the weight of a century of madness be too much for Zuko to bear? Aang has mastered the Avatar state - but can even the Avatar resurrect an extinct people?
1. Chapter 1

Greetings! My name is Crispy. I've been out of ficcing for some time, but decided to get back into it after watching the series for the second time through. Coming from a Gundam Wing background, it's different working with female characters in my fic - hope I can do them justice. Any way, this is what I imagine would happen after the series ended. It's going to be a long project, but I have most of the story worked out. It's simply putting fingers to keys that I'm working on. =)

Warnings: Eventually, Aang is going to get it on with Zuko. It's going to take a while and a bit of character development to get to that point, but there you have it. I reserve the right to write whatever other pairings I choose and think I can work into the narrative.

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar, I am using the setting and characters to give form to my fancies. Thank you to Mr. DiMartino and Mr. Konietzko for their imagination and sharing their ficton with the rest of us.

Note: Consider _**this**_ formatting drop caps at the beginning of a scene, as I can't seem to use my normal ~~~ or even - to separate scenes.

_**White**_. Gray. The clouds part, opening on a scene of bright white-teal icebergs and deep cerulean water. The wind whips suddenly in the still air and a figure dressed in tan, orange and brown shoots by; borne aloft by two sets of reddish-brown fabric wings attached to a metal pole.

The figure dives, then curls around in a loop his laughter blown back behind him in the freedom of flight.

The boy glides in a lazy, serpentine path as the icebergs shoot by below. He curls around a bluff of ice and snow and sees below him a familiar, small village. His eyes scan the landscape, flying vast circles above the city as the children run out to wave and laugh up at him. He spares them a wave, tumbling though a short yet complex aerobatic maneuver to the delight of his audience, then sees not what he was looking for, but a reasonable facsimile.

Across the tundra, a glint of sunlight spears the pilot's sight, attracting his attention to the figures dressed in green and blue facing off. He banks, diving towards the two companies arrayed against one another and angles towards the two figures standing midfield.

"Sokka! Suki!" the pilot yells, his voice carrying despite his speed. The figure in green looks up, smiling and giving a delicate wave. The young man in blue lets out with a whoop and starts running towards the incoming boy, grinning from ear to ear.

"Aang! Buddy!"

Aang drops from his glider as he approaches, and barrels into Sokka, knocking them both for a tumble. The boys laugh and wrestle, until Suki arrives at a much more measured pace.

"Hello Aang. Welcome back."

Their wrestle pauses for a moment and Aang pokes his head out of the jumble of arms and legs and grins at Suki.

"It's good to be back - Where's Katara?"

"She's training her students, over by the boat." Sokka's reply comes muffled from the other end of the tangle.

Aang and Sokka disentangle themselves and hug, clapping each other on the back.

"I'll go say hi, then. How's the war-game?"

Sokka and Suki share a glance and a grin, the Suki replies. "It's going well - we're pretty much done with this group." Sokka steps over and slips an arm around Suki's waist, pecking her cheek with his lips. "Just about in time for the next batch to come in."

Sokka's face falters for a moment, worried. "I said it before, but... I'm not sure if it's a good idea to bring in a company each from both the Earth and Fire Kingdoms at the same time... Don't you think the tensions might be a little... strained?"

Aang nods. "Of course - but that's why I made sure I'd be here. At least for the beginning. To provide support while you two iron out the kinks." Aang places a hand on each of his friends' shoulders. "I know you two will be able to work anything out, eventually. Just leave Damage Control up to me - it's what I do best."

Aang winks and Sokka and Suki laugh, sending Aang on his way. As Aang reclaims his glider and launches off, Sokka and Suki return to conducting the exercise and the two bands of Tribesmen and Kyoshi Warriors rush towards each other with padded wooden weapons.

_**The young man**_ in the heavy red and gold robe stands, as the last of the advisors leave. He places his thumb and forefinger along either side of his nose as he continues to examine the map rolled out on the table before him. He traces the lines on the map with a finger and sighs heavily.

"It's been eight years - and we still haven't left the Earth Kingdom."

There is a knock on the door and he speaks without lifting his eyes or halting the small circular motions he makes on his nose.

"Enter." he says, distracted.

The great doors open, admitting a young lady with her long black hair topped by a small golden ornament who steps efficiently down the room to stand next to him.

"Hello Zuko. You look tired and bored. Dinner?"

Zuko looks up, noticing the lady and a small smile creases his lips. He leans over, placing a tender kiss on her cheek and slipping an arm around her waist.

"I'm sorry Mai - I didn't notice it was you. Dinner would be wonderful. What are we having prepared for us tonight?"

Mai's face also creases with a smile as she takes Zuko's hand and leads his out of the throne room. "We're not. Ty Lee insisted on doing the cooking."

Zuko pauses at the news, then continues walking with a strained look on his face. "Um... I didn't know that Ty Lee could cook...?"

Mai shrugs as she walks ahead of Zuko. "Neither did I - but at least Dinner should be interesting tonight."

Zuko shrugs, accepting, then pauses as the door to the largest room in the palace. He looks back at the empty dais that once supported the ornate Throne of the Fire Lord, which he had had removed immediately after he was crowned. He shakes his head, hearing his father's disapproval in the back of his mind and closes the door, jogging to catch up with Mai and taking her arm as they retire for Ty Lee's... 'treat'.

_**A wagon**_ rolls along a forest path, pulled by a single ostrich horse and driven by a bent, old man. A human figure sits in the joint of a tree, dressed in a tight, shaggy outfit in several shades of green. He raises his hands to his mouth and blows, emitting a warbling bird call twice in rapid succession. His call is returned several times from different directions and the figure stands gripping a rope that hangs at his side.

Jumping, he lands next to the wagon along with nearly a dozen other similarly dressed figures. Together, they surround the wagon. The ostrich horse rears, but one of the ambushers quickly controls the beast as another jumps to the perch and holds a sword to the old man's throat.

"Don't struggle and you'll live, Gramps."

As the others approach the wagon to secure it and take it's contents, the old man looks up, revealing a pair of sightless blue eyes and a mischievous grin and says in the voice of a confident young woman:

"Don't call me Gramps - I never married."

The bandit looked again at the driver, surprised at the voice, but the driver was already moving. She raised her arms, lifting a dome of earth over the bandits, wagon and ostrich horse, cutting off all view to the interior. After a minute of thumps, grunts and tremors the dome falls revealing the driver standing next to the ostrich horse, calming it, with the bandits bound together by a ring of earth on top of the wagon.

"Aww, were you scared, Screechers?" The ostrich horse warbles contentedly, nuzzling the young lady. "Of course not - No one on my side has anything to fear when Toph, the greatest Earthbender ever, is on the job!" Toph feeds the ostrich horse a carrot which it snaps up greedily. "Now - just keep moving us down the road to the next town, okay?"

Toph launches herself back up to the perch of the wagon, snaps the reins gently and gives the ostrich horse it's head to lead the wagon down the road.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey! Look what I learned to do!

* * *

Aang glides over the snow, aiming for the iron ship held out of the ocean by a spiky wave of ice. At the foot of the slope, five young women stand facing a single older woman, all of them dressed in shades of blue. They move slowly through a kata, their concentration on their form. Aang pulls up and lands a few meters from the leader. Twitching his glider, it collapses into a staff and he takes a deep breath.

"Hey, Ka-TAR-"

Katara opens one eye, glaring at Aang and motions him to silence with a severe chop of her wrist.

"-a" Aang finishes weakly. He pulls himself up short, bowing to Katara before sitting down in a meditation position. He frowns for a moment before releasing the emotion and clearing his mind, settling in to wait for Katara's lesson to be done.

Katara closes her eye and continues with the lesson. Slowly and deliberately, she leads her young students through the form. They end the form and Katara smiles at her class.

"Well done, students. Now, form a circle and practice passing this water around. Remember to feel the water as much as you watch the water and let it flow - flow is very important."

Katara gently moves her hands in two small circles, drawing up a chunk of ice and snow that melts quickly into a globe of water. She begins the flowing motion, moving the water around herself as her students form a loose circle then passes the water to her first student.

The student catches the water with a wobble, then regaining her composure, begins the exercise by moving the water around herself once before passing it to the next student. The exercise under way, Katara walks over to Aang who pops an eye open at her approach, then bows to him as he had to her before.

"Greetings, Avatar. What brings you to class? Feeling rusty?"

Aang stands, returning the bow and adopting a haughty expression that doesn't fool his past teacher.

"Not at all, Sifu Katara. I simply came to observe, in case you needed some pointers with your form."

Katara and Aang stare at each other for three beats, before they both crack smiles. Katara takes the last steps towards Aang and he pulls her into a warm embrace. He tilts her head back slightly, enjoying her beauty for a moment, before bending down to place a short, gentle kiss on her lips.

Katara steps back, her hands reaching up slightly to rest on Aang's shoulders as she passes her gaze over him and grins.

"It's been too long, Aang - let me look at you. You've grown quite a bit in the last couple of years. I missed you."

Aang grins, enjoying the attention.

"I shot up 3 feet in the second year after the war - I even had to visit Teo's Dad so he could adjust the glider." Aang flicks his glider open to demonstrate, then flicks it closed again. "And I got new clothes..." Aang steps back and spins, showing off his new outfit. "And-" Aang steps forward and embraces Katara again. "-I missed you, too. A lot."

Aang lays his head on Katara's shoulder for a moment, his eyes tearing up. Then he claps Katara on the back and steps away, turning around while surreptitiously running his sleeve across his eyes. He places his hands on his hips and makes a show of inspecting the horizon.

"I'm only here for a couple weeks - for when the Fire Nation army gets here for training. Then I have to return to the Fire Nation myself to help rebuild Roku's temple. After that I have to go back to the New Central Air Temple to continue training the new recruits."

Katara steps forward and lays a hand on Aang's shoulder to comfort him. "I hope you find some students who can Airbend, Aang."

Aang nods, still not looking back, but places a hand on Katara's. "Me too, Katara - Me too."

* * *

Zuko sits heavily in an over sized, over-upholstered chair, still massaging the bridge of his nose. He sighs heavily, and Mai gently bats his hand away from his nose.

"Stop. You'll rub it off - and we can't have a Fire Lord without a nose."

Zuko grins, catching Mai's hand in his and bringing it gently to his lips. Mai grins back as she turns to walk into an adjoining room.

"I'm going to help Ty Lee in the kitchen. You had better have a nose when I get back. How did the meeting go?"

Zuko sighs again. "As well as can be expected. No one is happy with the post-war arraignments - even eight years later, we still don't have enough arable land to support ourselves, so our peasantry are still indentured to the Earth Kingdom - raising food in the land we took over to split between giving away to the locals and sending back home for our own use."

"Our soldiers are employed working to tear down the factories and reclaim what we can - but 100 years of industrialisation funded by war-based income and supported by captured land has left scars that will be a long time in healing. And while a majority of our 'troops' have gladly turned their swords into ploughshares, there are groups building in strength that want to return to an 'easier life'.

"Our generals tell me that moving them around has helped keep them from inciting things overly much - but they also tell me its going to start getting worse. They complain that our coffers are emptying out at an alarming rate and warn that the reparations will bankrupt our nation, and no soldier will want to do anything if they cannot be paid.

"Now, on top of all of this - I'm getting reports of attacks on villages and travellers in the Earth Kingdom territory that used to be captured Fire Nation. It's looking like random banditry - but some of the attacks as described have had an almost military precision to them. The Earth Kingdom is blaming Fire Nation deserters - they're not saying anything, of course, but that's what they mean behind all the- what did Sokka call it? Politicianese?

"Anyway, they're blaming us but we brought all our military home - unless groups of soldiers reported in dead when it came time to muster. I can't see our peasants, who were horrified once Dear Old Dad's propaganda machine turned off, turning to crime - especially against themselves. The Fire Nation people have always been honorable - even when that honor was hijacked for a century by madmen.

Mai walks back into the room with a glass in her hand. The glass contains a brown liquid and condensation collects on it. She hands the glass to Zuko, who is surprised by it's cold temperature then lays a hand comfortingly on his shoulder.

"We'll make it through this, Zuko. This is a treat Ty Lee brought back with her when she split from the Kyoshi Warriors in the Southern Sea. Sokka came to meet Suki and Katara came with him and wanted Ty Lee to bring it back for you. She froze a block of ice around a barrel of the drink and Ty Lee just cracked the seal. What do you think?

Zuko sipped cautiously from the glass, tasting the drink. He found the initial flavor quite sour, but the taste mellowed as he held it in his mouth to a light sweetness. Zuko pursed his lips in surprise, then took another sip.

"It's not bad - what is it?"

"It's Iced Sea Plum Tea"

Zuko grinned. "Iced Tea, eh? Don't tell my uncle about it - I don't even want to think about the consequences." Zuko took a long swig. "Although, I must say that the temperature is quite refreshing - what do you think of it?"

"Ty Lee said she wanted you to try it first - now that you're not dead, she and I will try some too."

"Glad to see you care, Mai." Zuko winked, draining his glass. "Bring me another while you're in there?" Mai reached for his glass but Zuko captured her hand and placed a kiss on it before releasing it so she could continue.

"A girl has to have her priorities, doesn't she, Zuko?" Mai cracked as much of a smile as she ever does and Zuko grins after her as she walks to get refills, his worries forgotten - if only for the moment.

* * *

Toph walked along the rough, narrow path carved into the mountainside. She hold a stick in on hand, resting on her shoulder with a bag tied to the far end containing he few possessions. She stops, stomping her foot and a small cascade of pebbles falls down from the bottom of the portion of the path she is standing on.

Toph frowns and raises her right hand slowly. She bends rock from below the path to shore up a weak point she has detected. Grinning, satisfied with her work, she continues whistling a tuneless, happy song. She rounds a bed, following the contour of the mountain and continues walking.

Across a chasm, a mountain stands nearly separated from the range save for a winding path that climbs through the mist surrounding the base. The top half is carved into 5 turrets, the widest and tallest in the center, with four smaller ones arrayed around it in the cardinal directions. It's lower surface is rougher and covered in scaffolding, while small specks scurry across it's face, working to pull form from rock.

As Toph approaches the proto-temple, the specks working on the temple wave and yell greeting to her. She waves in the general direction she hears greeting from and pauses in the doorway. Taking a deep breath, she grins. "Home at last."

She waves for attention and only wait a few moments before she feels someone approach. "How have you been, Toph? Did you get the bandits?"

Toph's smile fades a little, worried. "Some of them, yeah. But they weren't the leaders. Their fighting was familiar, though I couldn't place where I'd fought them before." She shakes her head, throwing off the puzzle for later thought. "Anyways, where's Old Boney at?"

Toph feels the worker's discomfort at her use of the pet name which only serves to increase her pleasant buzz. "Guru Pathik is meditating in the courtyard, Toph. He's been expecting you back."

Toph nods. "That's Old Boney for ya. You'll need to send some people out to work on the road. I cleared a few rock-slides, no problem, but there were a couple spots where the support was getting pretty crumbly. I shored up what I could and left markers." Toph feels the worker nod and he scurries off to see to Toph's instructions. Toph adjusts her bindle and sets off to find Pathik.

She walks through the as yet unadorned compound, consisting so far of just the shelters needed to house and support the workers while the temple is built. What her feet show her, however, makes her smile. The plan that Aang worked out is slowly taking root inside the rock of the mountain, partly thanks to her efforts and partly to the efforts of the small community that sprung up around Aang after the war.


	3. Chapter 3

Aang sat in Iroh's tea shop, surrounded by his friends. He rolled a tea cup between his hands, a look of concentration on his face. His inner circle of friends sat around the table before him and listened intently. Iroh silently busied himself closing his shop at the end of a busy day as Aang explained his worry.

"...so you see, in four generations, it will be time for another airbending Avatar. But with the Air Nomads... gone; how will he or she learn airbending? How will a child even be born?"

Katara, Sokka, and Zuko traded glances back and forth, considering the question. Toph also considered in her own way – with a finger in her ear. Iroh spoke and everyone turned to face him as he continued sweeping.

"All life is a cycle, through life to death and eventually to rebirth. It is no different with the Avatar – it is no different with the Air Nomads."

Aang knitted his brows, confused. "But how can there be rebirth when all the Air Nomads have been dead for 100 years?"

Iroh ginned. "Let me tell you a story..." Iroh set aside the boom and took a seat at the table. He sat back, settling in for a long story. The children at the table reserved themselves to another of Iroh's lectures, except Zuko and Aang who leaned forward so as not to miss a word. Iroh poured himself a cup of tea and sat back, beginning his tale.

"As you all know – I was once the Fire Nation's greatest General. I lead my army to the walls of this very city and brought them down in flames. However, in two score years as a General, that was not my only campaign – not by far. The news was never distributed at home, but the Earth Nation fought long and hard for every furlong of ground." Iroh sighed, remembering darker times. "It was not long before I begin to feel that what I was doing, what my Father was doing, was not the gesture of concern and generosity that we had all been taught.

"Many of my soldiers saw this, too. A few of them worked up the courage to desert from the Army and go native – joining the Earth Kingdom as just another casualty of ware. Often, one or two of my best firebenders would come up missing the morning after a battle in which we suffered no casualties." Iroh sipped from his teacup, all five children leaned forward, rapt by his story. He sighed, the price of his folly still weighed heavily on his soul, then continued.

"After... After I lost my son at the end of the Siege, I washed my hands of War and ordered the forces under my command to return Home. On our way back, perhaps spurred by my depression or perhaps by fear of retaliation from my Father, I lost fully one half of my forces – the largest number of troops I ever lost for any reason. However, nearly half of those who remained returned to the Earth Kingdom with wives, children, or both.

"You see, not all the villages we passed through were offended by coming under the Fire Nation's control – and protection. Some of the more militant Earth peasants even gladly assisted our forces. Some of those wives and children thrived in the Fire Nation – I still keep in touch with several of them who became quite successful both during and since the war. The five nodded, still not sure where Iroh was headed with his narrative but entranced by this honest, first-hand relation of his wartime experiences.

"In any case, I'm sure you're all wondering what this has to do with Aang's current hardship. The fact is, the Air Nomads were not completely eradicated by Sozin all those years ago."

Aang's eyes went wide and hopeful as the others inhaled sharply.

"Just as in my campaign against the Earth Kingdom was more flawed than any ever found out, Sozin's campaign against the Air Nomads was not the perfect victory he had ordered reported. The Nomads did not have a standing army – but airbenders are masters of evasion and escape; and every Nomad could bend air. There were records, hidden in dark corners of a locked rooms somewhere in the Capitol City, which showed that: no matter how leniently you calculated the number dead, nor how miserly you were with the figures estimating the total population of the Nomads – you could never make the first figure reach the second.

Aang's eyes brimmed and hope brought a hesitant smile to his face. "Some of the monks survived, then?"

Iroh shook his head sadly. "I am sorry, my young friend – but I do not think that would have been possible. The monks and nuns were said to hold tightly to their beliefs no matter the consequences, just as you did last year when you refused to take Ozai's life. Those beliefs were used ruthlessly to detect, detain, expose and execute any who held to them – most commonly the strict vegetarian diet.

Aang's face fell as Iroh reached over to place his hand on the Avatar's. "Although I can only imagine the magnitude of your loss and can never hope to assuage it, know that I am truly sorry, Aang." Aang sniffed, wiped his sleeve across his face and nose, then nodded for Iroh to continue. "The only survivors would have been those who had not mastered airbending, or at least those who had not yet been tattooed, who would also have given up their beliefs for the duration of any test put to them; and those babes and children who were yet too young to consider them.

"However - As surely as my own men deserted, taking brides from and starting new lives in the Earth Kingdom – so would some of Sozin's own men, un-indoctrinated by a century of propaganda, taken Air Nomad brides or children (willingly, or perhaps by force) and fled to other points to make new lives.

"Also, though it became increasingly difficult to hide their heritage as Sozin obsessed more and more over the genocide, adopted Air Nomad children were taken back to the Fire Nation- ostensibly as spoils, but the fathers knew differently- and raised as Fire natives. It was suppressed information, but there are particular shades of eye that were never seen before Sozin's mad conquest that have become surprisingly common after only three generations.

Aang looked up, hope blooming again. "So there might still be Nomads alive... who just don't know that they're Nomads?"

Iroh grinned, clapping the boy on the back. "Exactly, my young Avatar! You catch on so quickly!" Iroh leaned over, holding a hand up as though to tell the boy a secret- but instead whispered loud enough for the entire table to hear "Unlike my nephew, who never seems to bother listening to what I say until it is almost too late..."

"Uncle!" Zuko's cheeks flared red and he pounded the table with a fist as Aang and the others sputtered into laughter. Iroh stood and reclaimed his broom as the conversation turned quickly to how to find the Air Nomads' hidden legacy and what to do once they had found them.


	4. Chapter 4

Hi folks! I started where I wanted to start, I know where I want to finish. It's the stuff in between that's blocking me and taking time to write - I keep having to add more stuff to support my plot. ^^; Readership is down with the last post - perhaps because I promised Zuko/Aang and instead suggested Aang/Katarta and Zuko/Mai. But trust me when I say that I'll get there - it's just going to take some time in fic. The next chapter will jump ahead a week or two, so I'm getting there slowly but surely.

By the way, last chapter was a flashback by about 5 years. It meant to clarify the reason why the new temple was being built, but instead wound up focusing on Iroh's war story. Now I've switched back to Toph and managed again not to talk about the temple. ^^;; But I think this chapter works well as a theory of what Toph does after the series - just remember that Toph has been blind since birth, so she has no concept of sight. All her internal visualisations would be based off imagined tremor-sense and sound. So when she 'sees' something, she's actually imagining feeling it through her hands, feet, or whatever.

Also - remember to comment, review, etc. Constructive criticism is always welcomed - and if you've caught typos or mistakes, please let me know so I can fix them. =3

Enjoy! =^-^= Vm

* * *

Toph walked through the inner courtyard, the polished tiles of the mosaic floor beneath her feet felt as though they glittered in their intricate patterns. She tapped a toe on the ground and saw that the thin monk was in one of the smaller nooks of many built into the garden area, seated in what Toph had come to think of as his default meditation posture.

"Good afternoon, Toph. I see you have returned from your task victorious."

Toph tossed her bindle down outside the alcove, which was large enough to admit two people besides the aged man, then settled down facing him.

"Hello, Guru Pathik. I am, although there is something that bothers me about their fighting style. It seemed, familiar somehow."

Pathik grinned, his eyes still closed and shifted into a slightly different meditation position. "With the number of people you have fought, my student, I would be more surprised if you did not recognize a fighting style."

Toph giggled, settling into the same sitting position she felt the Guru had adopted. "So, Boney. What's our meditation about today?"

"For today, perhaps to assist you in recognizing that which has eluded you, we shall meditate on the Sixth Chakra."

Toph tilted her head, remembering. "Hmm... the Light Chakra, right? Circulates through insight, bocked by illusion?"

Pathik chuckles merrily. "You are quite right, Toph. Let us clear our minds of illusion and allow our insight to function. One of the greatest illusions is that of time. Many perceive time as a constant stream, always pulling us forward into the future. But our perception of time is based on our memories of it having passed. Remove the forward impetus and all our memories and experiences shall lay themselves before us as the present of the moment."

Toph took a deep breath and considered the Guru's advice. _/I only perceive the passage of time, because I have created memories that give the illusion of time passing. Therefore, I must retain a memory of every moment I've experienced, because I retain the perception of time having passed/_

"Very good, Toph. Continue with that line of thought – you are almost there."

Toph held her breath for a moment, gently retaining her train of thought although it threatened to disappear at Pathik's comment. She released her breath and continued her meditation. _/Since I retain those memories, I must simply return my consciousness to that memory and I can experience it again in the present of my mind./_

Before her mind's eye, Toph felt an object float towards her. She reached out with her thoughts and gently brought it closer in. _/It feels rectangular, but lighter in the middle than on either side. This is like a book./_ Toph opened it with a flick of her mind and felt the pages blowing by as though in a stiff breeze. _/Careful. Slow down. If it goes by too fast I can't feel any of it./_

"Well done. Well done! Now, just find your place. You must know where you are before you can begin your journey."

The pages slowed, then stopped. Toph felt on the displayed page a strange thing – she saw that it was an image of her entering the alcove to join Pathik for their meditation, but as though there was a thin layer of sand all around her. _/This must be my memory of entering the alcove. If I go this way.../_ Toph gently moved the pages of her memory book from the right to the left until a good dozen had gone by.

Toph now felt her memory of resting across from the Guru and the vibration of his voice, congratulating her. She spoke softly "Wow – this is great. I've moved up from walking into the alcove to just a few memories ago - and I'm nowhere near the end of the book. What happens if I keep moving forward? Can I see my memories of experiences I've not had?"

Pathik chuckled again. "You are always such an apt pupil, Toph – and so clever. While it is true that the future is as much an illusion as the past, I would not suggest testing yourself in that direction right now – let us continue that exercise on another day, hmm?"

Toph grinned and flipped her pages the other direction. "Sure thing, Boney. You've never steered me wrong before. Let's go take a look at those lackeys I fought." _/If I perceive a dozen pages as about one minute, then I'll need to go... about this far.../_ The pages of her book blurred past her minds eye as she estimated how far back she would need to go.

As the pages flipped, she caught small tremors from the pages. They began to realign into a long string that she could feel stretching out from her center in two directions – and she felt a glimpse a few months of perceived time into the perceived future of herself thinking to herself while learning the technique the Guru had mentioned _/See – you knew already and said so – now go back to work, me!/_

Toph grinned at herself across time as she abandoned the book metaphor and flew through her memories to her fight with the brigands in the forest. She flitted backwards and forwards across the fight, replaying the vibration memories until she could pick out the minutest details – and comprehension dawned.

As it did, Toph felt herself loose her suspension of the disbelief of time and she was pulled back into the present - forcefully. Although she was seated, she hit the floor as though falling from a great height and slid backwards three feet – through the wall one foot behind her.

Toph groaned, sitting up painfully and rubbing her head. "Ugh... I feel like I've been run over by a Hippo-pede. What happened?"

Toph felt a touch and flinched a little – she hadn't felt the Guru approach her. Pathik gently ran his fingers across Toph's forehead and she felt some of the pain recede, although her behind and back still ached from the impact. Pathik clucked his tongue.

"It is quite important to slowly return to the perception of the present when completing this meditation. The physical impact gets worse the further away you are when you are interrupted. Your body is mostly unharmed, except for the damage caused by your involuntary earthbending right at the end. The majority of the pain you feel is caused by energy loops trapped in your Chakra – I've done what I can to alleviate it, but you'll need to clean the rest up on your own."

Toph nodded and sat up with Pathik's help, grinning from ear to ear. "It's not the first time I've had to clean some house after a session with you, Pathik – but that was one wild ride." Toph could feel Pathik's happiness as he grinned at her resilience. "Well, Toph – I must admit that I do not normally enjoy attempting to teach earthbenders - but you certainly do have a knack for livening up an old man's meditations."

Toph stood, cracking her neck and back with a few stretches. "All better, physically." Toph planted her feet and with gentle motions of her hands replaced the stone and dust she had knocked out and made the wall whole again. "But I think I'll wait for a little on the repair meditations – I figured out who the people I fought were."

Pathik nodded, returning to his seat in the center of the alcove as Toph reclaimed her bindle. "Your visits are always so short, Toph – I wish you would spend more time meditating on the Seventh Chakra so we could further your training."

Toph grinned and stopped in the doorway bowing to Pathik with great respect. "I know you do, Guru. But if I did – then I wouldn't be me, right? Besides, I caught a glimpse on my way out and we'll see each other again in... a few months, I think, if I saw it correctly."

Pathik's eyes twinkled in merriment. "Liven up an old man's meditations indeed. Safe journey, Toph – we'll see each other again further down the path." Toph grinned and raised her thumb in parting, then turned and began her journey south.

* * *

Note: I had to think up something it would hurt getting run over by. So I imagined a Hippopotamus with a hundred legs/feet. I imagined that it was quite fitting for what I needed, hence the Hippo-pede was born! ^_^ Vm Also, Toph deeply respects Pathik and has learned a lot from him about balance and conservation of force - the reason why she has become so delicate with her bending out of combat. But she's still Toph, so she uses nicknames and jokes and shortcuts. Also, since she's not the Avatar, she doesn't have to maintain pristine Chakras so as to be able to enter the Avatar state - hence her decision to nearly completely ignore the Thought Chakra. Also, Pathik is quite fond of her.

No, I'm not shipping Toph/Pathik. *shivers* I'll leave that for someone else to perv over. ^^;;;; It's just a close student/teacher thing.


	5. Chapter 5

Aang sat on the crest of an iceberg overlooking what would become the exercise area for the impending war games. His eyes closed, he appeared to be meditating, save for the pale blue glow from his tattoos. Elsewhere, Aang was holding a meeting.

"... so I don't know what to expect once all the troops and benders get here. Worst case, they'll be at each other's throats." Aang looked pensive as he spoke to the 4 most recent incarnations who seated in front of him. "But – I don't think I can go wrong reminding everyone that I am the Avatar and that I will not allow real fighting. What do you think?"

Roku's mouth quirked up into a small grin. "Aang – you are aware that we are only the echoes of your own spiritual memory and not truly ourselves?"

Aang blushed, embarrassed. "I know, Roku – I've just never tried doing anything like this before; using the Avatar state to impress people. I thought it might be... un-Avatar-like."

Kyoshi spoke deliberately, her voice hard. "As the Avatar, our abilities exist to be used as a force for Balance in the world. Never hesitate to use those abilities when doing so advances our purpose."

Yangchen nodded at Kyoshi's advice. "Your plan will display your power, without the possibility of harming those who you wish to teach while also providing an integral supply for the earthbenders."

Kuruk grinned from ear to ear. "And it ought'ta be super fun, too." Kyoshi rolled her eyes and Yangchen's brows twitched. "What? It should be!"

Aang grinned. "Thanks, guys. Your council is appreciated." The four past Avatars in turn each nodded and disappeared in a puff of aether. Aang slowly allowed the sensations of the physical world to re-enter his consciousness, savouring the solitude of the moment and the wind whipping up the slope behind him to fall off the face of the iceberg and rush to the village about a mile off in the distance, below.

Aang laid back, stretching his arms and legs to re-encourage circulation, then rolled forward. Crouched above his feet on the edge of the iceberg, he gripped his staff in one hand and waited for the next gust. Feeling it begin, he kicked off and launched himself off the precipice. He spread his arms and tilted his face back, letting the air rush by and enjoying his few moments of free-fall. Then, opening his glider with a flick, he pulled out of the dive at the last moment – speeding towards the village, he covered the distance in about two minutes.

Sokka and Katara had run to the village wall to meet him. Sokka jumped into the air and punched his fist up with a cry of exultation. "Oh MAN, Aang! That was soo great! You gotta let me hitch a ride next time! You were all like, 'Zooooom...', then you whipped out your glider and it was like, 'Swoosh'! So awesome!" Aang laughed at Sokka's enthusiasm as Sokka approached for their special handshake. Aang and Sokka bumped first right arms, then left, then right fists, then left fists and finally they turned 90 degrees and bumped hips.

As Aang turned, he noticed Katara sanding on one leg, arms crossed across her chest. Distracted, a gust of wind followed Aang's hip bumping Sokka and blew his friend ten yards into a snowdrift, much to Sokka's confused surprise. "Oh! Hi Katara!" Aang jumped up straight and bowed. "Were you looking for me?"

Katara's foot tapped. "What. Was that."

Aang blinked. "What was what?"

Katara's arm flew out, pointing accusingly at the bluff Aang had just jumped off of. "That, Aang! What were you thinking? You could have hurt yourself!"

Aang blinked again, his face darkening for a moment as strong, bitter emotion rose in him. Battening down, Aang cleared his mind with a deep breath before speaking; his words cold as ice. "I'm fine, Katara. It's not like I was in any danger."

Katara failed to notice Aang's tone, or the moment of expression that had passed across his features. She turned and started pacing in front of Aang, gesturing roughly with her hands and lecturing him on risk and safety. Sokka looked back and forth between Katara's worried tirade and Aang, who was standing as though weathering a storm and grew worried.

"Hey, Katara – how about those Kyoshi Warrio-gah!" He stepped between Aang and Katara, trying to break into Katara's rhythm, but was shoved aside roughly and landed on his butt in the snow. "Hey, that hurt!" Sokka stood, rubbed his sore behind and noticed that Aang was seething.

As much as Aang ever did – Sokka admired his friend for his amazing emotional control and envied the clarity of thought that that could bring. He had tried to get Aang to teach him how to do that, but every time he tried to meditate Sokka found his mind filling with so many half-formed ideas that he would have to start talking or pacing or drawing up plans or SOMEthing due to the pressure in his head. With regret, but both unsurprised, Aang and Sokka had mutually decided that Sokka's mental balance was just not the type that responded well to quiet organisation.

However, Sokka learned much about his friend during their attempts to clean out his head. He considered himself the world's leading expert on reading Aang – and what he read now was not good. "Aang, buddy – you gotta come see the new watch towers I've had built over on th-gah!" This time, it was Aang's gesture and accompanying blast of air that sent Sokka backwards several yards – but he managed to keep his feet under him this time, as he hadn't been Aang's intended target.

Katara yelped, landing in a snow bank ten yards from where she had been pacing. Aang took several deliberate steps towards her and just before Katara opened her moth to scold Aang again, she noticed the tinge of glow that seemed to pick out Aang's tattoos. She swallowed hard as Aang spoke, his words quiet but backed with just a hint of chorus. "Katara. I am not a child. I am more than capable of handling myself – I've been doing just that for five years now. I've tried as hard as I can to accept that you learned very young to be everyone's Mom – but I do not need a mother. I am the Avatar – and I am just under one hundred years your senior. If I cannot make my best friend respect my authority as an adult, how will I be able to ride herd on the unholy mess that is about to fall into our laps."

Katara stuttered, fingers absently going to the second charm on her necklace – the one Aang had carved for her seven years ago. Anger, shock and just a trace of betrayed hurt fought across her face as Aang pivoted on his heel and flicked open his staff. "I will show you what I am capable of and you will revisit your opinion of what is and is not life-threatening to me -**and**-" Aang spared one glance over his shoulder at Katara, his face a controlled mask but his eyes flashing. "-you will not lecture me on anything in public for the duration of my stay at these exercises. Understood?"

Katara nodded, shocked at Aang's display, then started to her feet as her anger won the emotional battle. She opened her mouth and had raised a finger, having picked out a wonderful scold about respect and friendship, when she was blasted back by Aang's take-off. As Aang flew away, she saw that he was beginning to enter the Avatar state. She yelled, although Aang was likely too far to hear her already. "Aang – be careful! It's dangerous for you to be in the- Ooh! That- that **boy**!" Katara stomped her foot in frustration.

Sokka shook his head then let out in a run to follow Aang. He grabbed Katara's arm as he passed and drug her along. "Come on, Sugar Queen – let's go see what you've ticked Aang off into doing." Katara sputtered as Sokka grabber her, but after a glance from her brother that was tinged with reproach and concern but mostly just his normal 'we're all going to laugh about this for years' smirk, followed along quietly. She shook her head and resolved to apologise to Aang later.


	6. Chapter 6

Greetings! Forgot to give shout outs to Runnin Ref, Lord Archeron and Bismark von Draco last chapter. Thanks for faving myself and/or my fic here. Let me know what you like, and where I can improve my writing. =D For anyone else, let me know if there are any glaring errors or something you feel is missing. As for the promised ZukoxAang - give it time. Good things come to those who wait. ^_~~

One note before reading: this way lies madness. ~pwsswspwst~ and later ~~ represent an audio convention in TV and Movies that I can't type well enough to suit me. Anytime anyone's going crazy on screen, we hear that little audio track of whispers; you know the one. Words inside fade into being louder than the background, then fade back out again. Anything between slants / / is thoughts.

So, without further ado, Enjoy! ^_^ Vm

* * *

The young woman looked up from her garden, reversing the hoe and leaning on the spade-end. The sun was setting behind the melted mountain side of the now dormant volcano, painting the sky the bright reds, yellows and golds of the Fire Nation. /~pwsswspwst~Let it all end in fire~pwsswspwst~/ The woman closed her eyes and shook her head, concentrating for a moment before letting out her breath and looking again to the ridge line. She followed the ridge with her gaze across the sunset to the tower of scaffolding on the opposite point across the bay.

She leisurely raised her arm, hand held just so, so that her view of the scaffolding was half-framed by her hand. The half-heard, half-felt whispering continued wordlessly as she traced the lines of the structure in her head. She picked out three points where a minor blast of firebending would crumple the tower and put to naught 3 months of intense labour. /~~The temple has tilted another degree~~/. She nodded again, made a mental note, then cocked her head as the breeze blew by her, bringing the sound of a boat cutting through the rough surf only a few dozen yards from where her one-room hut stood.

She turned, racked the hoe next to the half-dozen other garden tools on the side of her house and beat the dirt from her pants while she walked towards the meager pier. The sea-breeze whipped past her short-cropped black hair and across her skin; a shiver ran through her as the light sweat from her efforts in her garden evaporated. She saw the boat as it made its approach, bearing on it's conning tower a red tapestry with the symbol of the Fire Lord woven into it in black. She raised her arm to greet the boat and walked out to meet it as it moored at the pier. Her smile grew as she felt the whispers in her head retreat as she closed the distance between herself and her visitors.

Zuko stood on the bow of the ship and raised his hand in response. Having shed the outer layer of his royal robe in his cabin, he stood in his more casual outfit: pants and tunic in maroon, black and gold. As the ship reached its berth, Zuko jumped over to the pier along with the sailors who proceeded to moor the ship to the bollards. "Azula – how are you feeling today?"

Azula allowed a small smile to slip onto her face. "Zuzu! Hello! I'd rate it about an eight for the day – but it's quieted down a bit from earlier." Azula noticed her vision swim for a moment, then Zuko leaped at her, flame jetting out from his hands and feet, the Imperial Palace in flames around them as they battled and Azula pulled up suddenly. She closed her eyes, dropping back into an evasive maneuver and raising a hand to signal Zuko to stop. /~~This is not happening now, it already happened. I can hear the surf and feel the sea breeze. Zuko came to visit, not to fight.~~/ Zuko's face, rage written across it, flew at and then past her. When she opened her eyes again, she saw that Zuko had stopped, also dropping into a defensive stance and grinned.

Azula blushed, dropping her stance and looking down "Maybe I better move that down to a six. We shouldn't get any closer." Zuko nodded, stepping out of his stance, content to speak across the gap. His face darkened, worry for his sister clear on his face. "Is it getting any better?"

Azula snarled sneering at her brother, her face suddenly distorted by rage. "Like you would care, traitor!" Azula shook her head, eyes tearing up as she silently cursed the voice that escaped. "I'm sorry, Zuko. I didn't mean that. It's just... you know how it is." /~~Let go, Princess-~~Let me at the slimy worm!~~I wish you wouldn't torment your brother so, my dear Azula~~/ Azula shook her head again, holding a hand up for patience as she regained control after the adrenaline surge of the remembered attack.

Zuko waited, having learned from his many visits over the last 4 years that Azula's sanity was still a very fluid thing. "I know." Zuko started towards Azula, but stopped before moving his feet. Azula was the only one who could tell what was going through her head and if she said ten feet was the limit, then ten feet it would be. Her bending was no longer predictable – sometimes she could not bend at all, but other times her mind wavered so far that her bending would explode, burning out of control.

For ten minutes, Zuko started at his sister across ten feet of pier. Azula swallowed, repeating the fragments of mantras she could remember from the one time the Avatar had visited her. Finally, Azula cleared her mind of the impulses and whispers. She felt they were still there, prowling outside her mental walls like wild animals scenting food, but they would stay out for at least long enough for her brother to visit. She looked up, seeing Zuko looking at the silhouetted ridge-line while noting any move Azula might make. He caught her movement and made eye contact. Azula nodded, relaxing out of the battle ready stance she hadn't realised she had adopted.

Zuko relaxed as well, sensing Azula's calmer state and cautiously stepped towards her. Without words, Zuko and Azula closed the distance between them. Zuko gently put his arms around his sister and pulled her into a hug. Azula tipped her head up just a bit so her chin would clear Zuko's shoulder and she hugged back. "Thank you for coming to visit, Zuko. I know I'm horrible sometimes, but the company can help a lot. Except for when it doesn't. The temple is two degrees off plumb. Tell them to check the soil, or bring in an earthbender. I think the foundation is settling unevenly."

Zuko squeezed his sister gently, grinning. "I'll do that – how's the garden coming?" Azula turned, and led Zuko towards the back of the hut. Zuko's guards started to follow, but stopped as he made a gesture behind his back. Sharing a worried glance, the guards waited a short time before following out of earshot. Azula showed Zuko her work, proud of her garden. "..So I'll have my first few harvestable vegetables next week. And they'll keep fruiting through to Winter. By then, I should be able to start harvesting the sea plums just off the end of the pier."

Zuko chuckled, poured water into two glasses off a workbench set out from the wall, then walked over and handed one to Azula. "I never imagined that you would ever give in to menial labour, let alone enjoy it." Azula grinned, accepting the glass Zuko offered. "And not only that, but be good at it..." Azula's eyes glazed for a moment. /~~Azula! The Fire Lord does not play in the dirt!~~/ Azula sipped her water, clearing the thought from her mind then turning back to Zuko smiling. "So – what brings my dear big brother to my humble abode?"

Zuko sat on one of two chairs set next to the shelf with the pitcher of water, staring into his cup. "Do I need a reason to visit my sister? You're the only family I have left."

Azula sat down in the second chair, leaning back and crossing one leg. "There's always Daddy."

Zuko shook his head. "He hasn't been family to me since he gave me this." Zuko ran a finger under his scar without looking up.

Azula nodded. "Mother should be out there, somewhere."

Zuko looked up. "Have you managed to remember anything about that, yet?"

Azula shook her head, looking down. "No – I'm younger than you, remember? Daddy would talk about her sometimes, after she left; but I can't seem to get the pieces to mesh. It's hard when there's... so much flying around in here."

Zuko nodded, looking back into his glass. A companionable silence fell over them as the breeze blew past while they sipped at their drinks.

"You know, Zuko..." Azula stared off into the ocean, watching the night approach slowly as the Sun continued to set unseen behind the ridge. Zuko looked up, waiting for Azula to talk. "I think... I think she's in here, somehow. I think she's one of the voices..."

Zuko tilted his head a little "That makes sense to me. I mean – you already found out one of them was Ozai. Why shouldn't Mom be in there, too? Does she... does she sound like she used to?"

Azula continued gazing blankly out to sea, swirling her drink. "Motherly, concerned, nagging. She doesn't call me a monster any more, though." Azula smirks, blinking her eyes and draining her glass before standing to pour another. "It's Daddy who's started calling me names, now. I guess that means I'm on the right path, huh?"

Azula dropped the glass and pitcher clapping her hands over her ears as she screamed. Ozai was standing over her, glaring down at her in anger and malice. His fires wrapped around her, constricting so she couldn't breathe, shooting pain through her body. She screamed again and forced all her power into her arm, lashing out with all the fire she could muster. Ozai was sliced in half, her blast bisecting him across the chest and burning in opposite directions. His flames died down and out, leaving only darkness and whispers. Then the whispers slowly faded as the darkness claimed her entirely.

* * *

Azula came to suddenly. She made sure to continue her breath without pausing or gasping so that anyone watching her would not know she was awake. She felt that she was laying on a soft cushion, a sheet of light fabric laying across her. /I'm in bed, then. How did I get here?/ She focused on her ears, analysing what sound she could hear. The was one other person nearby, maybe two more further away. /I was in the garden, talking to Zuko... I must have had an episode./ Without changing her breathing, Azula cracked one eyelid just far enough to see out without showing that her eye was open.

"Azula – how are you feeling?" Azula's view of her room and Zuko's face hovering just to the side confirmed what she had suspected. "I'm okay, I think. Sometimes, Daddy doesn't like it when I disrespect him. I can't hear anyone right now, so I should be okay for a candle or two. Did I hurt you?"

Azula sat up on her bed, rubbing her eyes and the back of her neck. She was on her way to a beautiful headache, but she knew how to take care of those. She looked over at her brother and inwardly gasped. Zuko's tunic was one third gone over his left shoulder. The ends of the bangs that hung over his scar were singed and frazzled and what skin was visible was the shade of a fresh sunburn. "Nothing I can't handle, Azula. It's okay – I got out of the way of most of it, but it was one of your bigger explosions."

Azula shook her head. "I wish Aang could just turn off my bending. It would make things so much easier, I wouldn't be dangerous."

Zuko smirked. "Azula – you'll always be the most dangerous person in the Fire Nation; bending or no. Aang and I both believe you can get through this and I don't want to loose any more family. Even if Aang could take your bending, he's seen what it's done to Ozai. I don't think he'd be able to go through with it unless you were about to burn down the world."

Azula grinned, and reached over to peck Zuko on the cheek. "Thank you, Zuzu. I have some burn cream that should help." Azula found the crate tucked against one wall of her hut and fished out a jar of ointment. She split the wax seal and opened the lid, filling the room with the heavy scent of Sea Mint, before she scooped out half the goo with two fingers and spread it between her hands. "Lo and Li send me a new crate every year, so I never run out."

Zuko took the jar from Azula and scooped out the other half of the ointment. As Azula began to gently apply the cream to Zuko's face and neck, Zuko spread the goo as he had seen his sister do and began on his arm. In little time, Zuko breathed a sigh of relief as the heavily mentholated cream smothered the gentle pulse of heat from where Azula had burned him. "You never answered my question, Zuko."

Zuko looked up and nodded. "Well, Ty Lee left four days ago for the War Games in the Southern Ice Fields. She took one company of Regulars, two companies of Specials for retraining and one company of Volunteers – that's about 25 peasants who want to help the Nation atone and 75 trouble cases I'm hoping Aang will have better luck straightening out. So all in all, we've sent 400 troops to the Games. She should be arriving there in a couple more days, at most."

At the mention of troop statistics, three voices started simultaneously calculating ground forces, troop movements, and naval forces in Azula's head while she began pacing. "You sent two supply ships, four transports and then a flagship for myself, Ty Lee and the other commanders, right? So add in about 100 marines to the troop investments and that gives me a force of about 500, just under half of which can bend. I'll put the Volunteers in front to smoke out opposition benders, let the brawlers and weaklings throw themselves into the brunt of the fighting. Then the Specials will be assigned to deal with the enemy benders with the Regulars guarding our flanks..."

Zuko watched Azula pacing with an eyebrow raised as she stopped, shaking her head. "Sorry – I'll stop." Zuko shook his head, smirking. "It's okay, Azula. If we can get you well, I promise that you'll have battles to plan again." Azula grinned back, sitting back down on the edge of her bed. Zuko continued "Anyway, there's a serious problem with bandits attacking the Colonies. That's one of the things that the War Games are for – training soldiers of the four nations to work together to keep the peace."

Azula nodded, seeing where this was going. "But the War Games take time and the Colonies need help now, so you're going to the Earth Kingdom with a Fire Nation armed force to defend the populace until the joint forces can get here. How will you clear moving Fire Nation Army back into the Earth Kingdom, though?"

Zuko shook his head. "Almost right – I will be going to the Earth Kingdom. But I'm not taking any soldiers. Barely even a security detail – maybe 5 men besides myself. I'm going to go see the damage first hand, and find out where the weak link in the investigation is that is allowing unarmed peasants to be preyed upon by brigands and outlaws." Zuko's face darkened, thinking about innocent farmers helpless at the hands of ex-military bullies.

Azula saw Zuko's expression and almost scoffed. /~~Concern for the weak is a pointless exercise and an exploitable weakness. Purge all compassion and you need no longer fear attacks from this quarter~~/ Azula blinked, frowning at the echo of her father's lesson. /Shut up, Daddy. Zuko is twice the Fire Lord you ever were – twice the Fire Lord than any we've had in the last hundred years. I just wish I could go with him to help make amends./ A twinge flashed across Azula's face as her father's voice echoed again. /~~purge compassion~purge compassion~purge compassion~~/.

Azula noticed Zuko looking at her, worried again. "Sorry, Zuko. I think you're going to need to go soon. Daddy is getting so insistent, the impotent worm. He thinks he can control me, that I'm his puppet. But he's the real puppet – I will cut his strings and replace him as Phoenix Lord!" Azula bit off the rant and raised a hand at Zuko's expression, her voice turning sweeter than cactus juice. "Again – thank you so much for coming, dear, little Zuzu. Seeing that scar always brings me such comfort. Just make sure to watch your back – I'm the only one who gets to kill you." Azula shook, hands balled into fists at her sides as she gestured sharply for Zuko to leave.

Zuko nodded, his expression sad. He understood that the madness was encroaching again and it was necessary to cut his visit short. He started out, but stopped. Making his own fists, he stepped resolutely to his sister and gathered her into his arms. He leaned his head down to whisper in Azula's ear and Azula felt hot moisture on her cheek from his tears. "Hold on, Azula – I'll help you get better. Just hold on – you'll beat this, just like you've beat everything that's ever tried to take you down. And I'll be here when you come back."

Azula almost screamed in high octane, when Zuko's arms wrapped around her. Suddenly, Azula's madness left her as though blown away in a breeze. She froze, the feeling of sanity a shock after four years of madness. Zuko turned and left, not looking back to his sister as a tear rolled down his cheek. Azula just stood, frozen in the peace and quiet suddenly thrust upon her mind, for hours after her brother left.

Then the madness washed back in and Azula ran out of her hut, screaming fire into the night.

* * *

Thanks for reading! This chapter is happening a few days before the last chapter, but I moved to Aang's plot line first. We're going back to Aang's plot line next chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

First off, greetings to Kimjuni2 - I'm glad you're liking the story thus far.

Secondly, I hope everyone else who's reading is okay with the pace. I know where I'm going, I swears it, just have to lay some stuff down to get there. =) Enjoy!

* * *

Sokka and Katara chased after Aang, but he was accelerating too quickly to be caught. A light blue nimbus gathered around him, streaking out in a tail behind him and a crack like thunder caused the siblings to cover their ears as Aang disappeared out across the ocean. They reached the edge of the glacier where Katara had bent it to slope gently to the water line and jut out into the ocean to form piers and watched Aang shrink into the distance.

"Whoa. He's really moving, Sis. I think you made him angry." Sokka held his hand across his brow, squinting to keep his eye on Aang. Katara glared at Sokka's comment, then turned her gaze to follow her brother's. Absently, she bit her bottom lip tracing the blue trail towards the horizon.

Suddenly, they watched the line shoot up, gaining altitude at an alarming rate. Katara gasped, while Sokka let out a low whistle. "Would you look at that! He has to be climbing straight up, or near to it..."

* * *

The air whistled past Aang's ears as he climbed ever higher. He spared a glance down and saw that he could make out three groups of vessels slowly making their way across the ocean. He stopped, causing another loud boom, and just watched for a minute. The groups were all making their way to the same destination – his admittedly sentimental choice of training location for his master plan to ensure peace. Aang grumbled under his breath a moment, not expecting it to be in chorus with himself, then took a deep breath. Holding it, he cleared his mind, then released his breath in a deep sigh. /Okay, enough moping. I've got work to do./

Aang took a deep breath, then another, focusing his concentration. As he breathed, a wreath of fire built slowly around him. He continued to stoke his fire, then judging he had enough, he spun, sending the ring flying out in an expanding circle before exploding. /That oughtta get their attention. Now to bring them together./ Aang pulled back his fist and punched at each of the three groupings of vessels in turn. Each punch sent a blast of cold atmosphere streaking towards the squadrons, spreading out and leaving contrails as they sped towards their targets. Without waiting for his blasts to hit, Aang flipped once, then dived toward a point as close to the center of the area between the squadrons as he could.

The blasts of extremely cold air plowed several meters ahead of their contrails. When then reached their destinations, the air knocked down the sailors working on deck. Moments later, the ships were all locked in the fog of the contrails, so that few could see the thick ice growing out from the base of each ship. Once the contrail cleared up in the warm afternoon sun, the sailors of each group found that their ships were locked in a large chunk of instant sea-ice. Then they heard a loud bang, Aang's third of the day, followed shortly by the appearance of a shaft of water towering above the sea level.

Aang stopped just under the surface and began to spin himself while sinking slowly. Sailors on all the boats in the three groups began to notice that their floes were beginning to move, drawn to the Avatar's vortex. Some sailors were curious enough to walk to the railing nearest the event, while the more seasoned moved into whatever shelter they could find and secured themselves as well as possible for whatever was to come next.

A few minutes later, the three floes had come to rest together above Aang. He stopped his spin and inhaled deeply from the bubble of air he held around himself, freezing the small spaces of free water remaining between the three naval groups and forming them into a single iceberg. Refocusing for the last trick up his sleeve, he released his breath slowly and swam around towards the edge of the puck away from the village. Spreading his arms, Aang reached out to pull the water along with him. Judging as best he could that he had enough, Aang angled up – and the sea rose with him. It built up into a tidal wave and tilted the iceberg resting on its side. Sailors who had not secured themselves grabbed desperately for railing or ropes as their ships tilted with the ice.

Aang broke the surface at the crest of the wave and held it there as the berg began to move forward slowly. He leaned forward, encouraging both the angle of the tilt and the forward slide, pushing the ice to begin accelerating just a bit faster. As the floe picked up speed, Aang continued to tilt forward until the small tsunami he had built began to crest. He jumped out to the center of the puck as he felt the water beginning to give in to physics and began moving his arms through one of the basic waterbending forms he had learned from Katara all those years ago: pulling new water into the wave to keep the floe on a downhill slope.

Aang cracked a smirk as he realised that even now, wielding the Avatar State as a demonstration of his power to cement his authority, Katara was still influencing his actions. He continued his form, intrigued when one of the more intrepid sailors who had fallen from his ship walked over to him. The boy was short, dressed in a dark blue parka trimmed with white fur. /This boy can't be any older than I came out of my ice bubble./ He grinned at the kid and gestured with his head in a motion for the boy to approach.

The boy looked at Aang in awe, his eyes wide at the young man standing before him who glowed from eyes and arrows. The boy hook his head and Aang saw his expression change from awe to one of intense study. The boy turned around, still looking over his shoulder and began mimicking the Avatar's moves. Aang felt the boy's bending join his own, nearly insignificant compared to the efforts backed by the Avatar State. Aang laughed, breaking the boy's concentration, but was rewarded when the boy before him joined in the laughter.

Grinning mischievously, a glint in his eye, the boy held up a finger for Aang for 'wait just a sec'. Aang nodded, and the boy scampered off to the boat he had come from. Raising some water from the iceberg, the boy lifted himself to the deck and disappeared for a moment. Then, all at once, the boy bounded back over the edge – followed by about a score and a half of what Aang assumed to be his friends. Surfing down to the 'ground', then tossing the water back up to the deck for the next boy, the troop of young teens galloped over to form a well-spaced mob around Aang.

Aang grinned as the young waterbenders studied his form, found his rhythm, then joined in. Now that the berg had reached a comfortable cruising speed, Aang found he could slowly back off his contribution to the wave, instead focusing on assisting the boys arrayed about him. Being young, they bent easily to his touches, and together they were able to maintain a wave about half the size Aang had started.

"Keep going, you're all doing great!" Aang shouted to his new friends, the chorus in his voice lending confidence to the boys who redoubled their efforts. Aang calmly ended his form, leaving the boys to continue on their own. Shocked eyes opened all around him, to be replaced with grins splitting from ear to ear. Aang sat, easing out of the Avatar State for the moment – it was not going to be the day or two that the navies would have made on their own time, but they were still quite a distance from their destination and he would need to keep some energy in reserve for his next task.

After a little over a minute, Aang reopened his eyes. He saw the pack around him still having fun, but showing clear signs of exertion. He also took in the faces still on the boat, red in anger, embarrassment or resentment at the audacity of the boys to think of assisting the Avatar – and the fact that the Avatar didn't mind. He shook his head ruefully and raised an arm to call the other waterbenders to him. While none of the other 3 score or so benders wasted any time in joining their younger brethren, Aang could see how they were trying to repress their excitement with discipline. Once they got there, they all saluted and bowed as one. Aang bowed back, grinning. "Okay boys – think you can pick up the form from my buddies, here?"

Faces pinking again, the new set of older boys turned their attention to their juniors, picking up the form easily from the demonstration and their memories. Their spokesman looked around, receiving acknowledgement from his compatriots and nodding affirmatively to the Avatar. Aang nodded back. "Good. Take up positions evenly around them, and join in. Gently at first, follow the patterns I've helped them set up, then feel free to join in – and if I tweak your form, just follow my lead."

The new group nodded almost as one. "And boys?" The group looked askance at Aang. "Have fun! How often do you get to go surfing with the Avatar?" Aang winked, then flipped back to the center of the formation with a bend of air. The rest of the waterbenders broke their masks and ran to set up their positions, each of them smiling from ear to ear. Aang slid back into his form, shoring up the young benders who were beginning to tire, then turned his attention to bringing the rest of the corps in line.

* * *

Thirty-seven minutes later, Aang called an end to the exercise then broke the wave, allowing the sea water back to flow slowly back into the ocean. The Master that had been sent to command the Northern Water Tribe's company of waterbenders had joined his charges in the center of the floe and walked around quietly assisting the boys in gradually releasing a bending form they had held for a full half-hour. The students themselves, worked out quite thoroughly, mostly sat panting on the ice – worn out, tired, knowing they would be sore in the morning – but each of them glowing happily at having bent with the Avatar.

The flow was still coasting into the piers Katara had built and would reach them in about ten more minutes. Squinting, Aang could already see Sokka jumping up and down and the end of the pier, gesticulating wildly and, Aang was sure, yelling up a storm at anyone within earshot. Aang grinned, then turned to the Master as he helped situate his last student. Aang saluted, bowing respectfully. "Greetings, Sifu. Let me welcome you first to the Southern Water Tribe's lands and thank you for the assistance of your students."

The Master, a man in his late thirties, bowed back. "Greetings, Avatar. I am Lartan, of the Northern Tribe. I bring the tidings of Chief Amook, Master Paaku and Master Yugoda; and their wishes for success in your endeavour here."

Aang grinned, clapping Lartan on the back the formality of the greeting dealt with. "You've taught them well, Lartan. They're exhausted, but that's to be expected. They worked hard and had fun – I hope the next two months will go as easily." Lartan nodded, grinning as Aang turned to the company of benders. "Again, well done, guys! You did great! If anyone wants to join me for meditation this evening, I'll come by the water barracks to collect you – no problem if it's not your thing. For right now, though – you'll all need to get back on your ship because I'm about to break up this iceberg."

Some of the boys cheered at Aang's invitation, then they all frowned that the party was over. Aang clucked his tongue and shooed the stragglers back to the boat, except for the boy that had first approached him. "Come here, kid – what's your name?" The boy looked down, embarrassed now that he was being singled out. "Kuruk, Avatar." Aang grinned – he could almost hear the loud guffaw in the back of his mind and the rolling of Yangchen's eyes. 'Well, Kuruk. You can ride with me, if you want."

Kuruk's eyes widened and he nodded enthusiastically. Aang whipped his staff open, picked up Kuruk with a blast of airbending and settled the tyke on his shoulders. He walked through the crowd of suddenly jealous waterbenders to Lartan. "Sifu Lartan, I'd like Kuruk here to ride with me until we reach the piers. May I have your permission?" Lartan smiled at the huge eyes Kuruk fixed him with, then nodded. "I'm sure he'll be safe in your care, Avatar."

Aang bowed, and Kuruk had to lean back to stay on. "Thank you, Sifu Lartan." Then he turned to the other benders and grinned. "Nobody go getting jealous! You've all done a great job today – and if it hadn't been for Kuruk's initiative, none of you would have had the chance to bend with me at all." The boys allowed themselves to be placated, still basking in the glow of a job well done and the Avatar's thanks, then resumed filing back aboard their ship.

Aang made his way back to the center of the ice, noting that the commanders of the other boats had gotten the hint when they saw the waterbenders evacuating the center ice to get their own troops back aboard. Once Aang saw that there was no one left on the ice but him and Kuruk on his shoulders, he looked up and brought his glider indicating the first crossbar. "Now, you hold on here and don't let go for anything, okay?" Kuruk nodded and wrapped his hand around the glider as Aang situated himself.

Aang started a breathing exercise, building up his fire again. Kuruk's eyes widened as he realised that he was to have a front row seat for the Avatar's firebending as the air about them began to ripple with heat. Aang brought a small gust of wind up under him and he and Kuruk where off the ground in a self-made thermal. "This might sound weird, but start laying down on my back, okay?" Aang slowly spiralled up, gradually approaching horizontal and felt Kuruk's heart beating to beat the band against his back as the boy awkwardly shifted his weight.

Once Aang reached a comfortable height above the multicultural navy below him, he grinned. "Are you ready, Kuruk?" Aang heard Kuruk's voice, nearly breathless with excitement and anticipation. "Yes, Avatar." Aang grinned, "Then here we go – and call me Aang!" He stalled at the top of the thermal, then began his dive.

Aang dived, much shallower than when diving off the cliff just a few hours ago, and focused his breath down and in front of him. He exhaled slowly, melting the ice in long passes with fire-breath. Once the ships were free to move in to harbour, Aang flew over Kuruk's ship. Once to get everyone's attention, then a second time – this time higher, faster, and with a two-and-a-half-twisting-double somersault thrown in for Kuruk's enjoyment. He heard Kuruk's excited laughter behind him and the cheering of the benders below him before spiralling in for a gentle landing.

"Okay, Kuruk, it's safe to let go now." Aang squatted, leaning forward as Kuruk gingerly dismounted, already sore from the work out moving the navy, but now also sore in other places from the strain the excitement of flying had put on his muscles. "You're going to want to sleep well, tonight – and I hope to see you at meditation. I find it's the best thing for giving your muscles a break so you can actually move the next morning." Kuruk grinned and said something Aang took as being acceptance as he was borne away on a tide of his peers, all wanting to know what flying with the Avatar was like.

Aang disengaged himself from the benders and glided to the piers, where Sokka was still jumping around in excitement. "Dude! That was like totally - you were so - it was just -" Sokka stopped jumping around, saluted Aang very calmly, then fell over in a fanboy-induced faint. Aang grinned and shook his head, bent half a handful of water up from the ocean and started splashing it gently against Sokka's face.

Katara had led a few of her students down to the docks to help the ships moor and walked over to Aang, a strange expression on her face. "Aang, I'm sorry I got angry at you about your dive this morning. You're the Avatar and I know how powerful you are – but in some ways, you're still the boy in the iceberg to me, you know?"

Aang nodded, his face impassive. "I know Katara, you're just being you. I wouldn't be who I am today, if it hadn't been for your help and support. But the day's not over yet and I have at least one more thing to do. We can talk tonight, okay?"

Katara nodded, biting her lip, then she and Aang turned opposite directions and started bending the ships in to harbour.

* * *

Aang & Katara are going to have a talk and figure out why they've been engaged for 7 years without actually getting married - but that's not the next scene. It's going to be either Toph's or Zuko's plotline - or maybe Azula's. I'm not sure if I can get her to where I need her to be before she needs to be there - but I think it'll be fun trying. ^_^ Vm

As always - review! Constructive criticisms or fan-ish rants are always welcome. =) And if you'd like to express an opinion on which plot you'd like me to follow next, I'll take it under advisement. ^_~


	8. Chapter 8

Well, here I am, back again. Took a break for the Holiday - and had to re-write the chapter to suit my tastes.

Shout-outs to 'Primetime Protege', 'asoe' and 'Katara walking on the rain' for adding me and/or my story to their favourites list. If you guys want to let me know how I'm doing, feel free to review. ;-p

For this chapter, we're back to Toph. It's always interesting for me to try and write her, because I have to leave out almost all visual cues. No colors, no blurs of motion. Just the ripples under her feet, ya? S'weird, but kinda fun. =3

Enjoy!

* * *

Toph grinned, walking down the road towards Chin village. /Another day, I think, then I'll be on a fast boat to the South Pole./ A shiver ran through her stomach at the thought of spending the better part of a week on the ocean, but she swallowed and raised her head towards the Sun's warmth. She stopped for a moment, indulging in the tranquil sounds of Nature emanating from the forest around her.

At the very edge of her perception, Toph felt a tremor. She shrugged it off, trying to reclaim the happy moment she had been having, but then she felt another. /Someone's getting closer.../ several new sets of tremors followed, chasing the first signature. /...and they're being chased. So much for having an uneventful trip./ Toph pulled a bit of earth around her feet in makeshift sandals, then started skating towards the tremors.

As she got closer, she was able to pick up more detail from the footsteps. The first signature was quite feminine – older, Toph judged, from the problems she could detect the lady was having with her balance. The chasers were all young men, heavily muscled from the power they wasted on every step. They were toying with their prey, Toph realized. They could easily catch the old woman, but they were purposely hounding her. /They'll probably wait for her to wear herself out running, then close in for an easy kill./ Toph swallowed her anger at the bullies, her course chosen.

Toph abandoned her earth-skates, having approached quite near the tableau before her feet. She stood, analyzing the pack of ruffians, when she felt the lady's rhythm break as her ankle connected with a tree root. As the lady was falling, Toph cracked the ground in front of her into sand, and bent it up to meet the lady. Sensing how close the pursuers were, Toph sighed. /You'll forgive me later, lady./ Toph promised wordlessly, then wrapped the sand around the lady completely.

With a muffled yelp, Toph returned the now hardening bundle of woman and sand to the ground she had bent the sand from. With a sharp yank, Toph pulled her lady-capsule the last 10 yards out of the line the lady had been running in, then bent the capsule up so the lady was back in a standing position, leaving a gag of earth bent around the lady's mouth.

Toph felt the woman's heartbeat fluttering and knew she was playing with a woman who may not be able to take much more excitement. Toph put two fingers to her lips, motioning the lady to remain silent, then stomped the ground. Toph's feet read the returns, and she liked what she saw. The ruffians were still headed in the direction the lady had originally been running – and nearby below was a small, natural cave.

Toph pointed down and made a placating gesture. She set herself, then brought her hands over her head. With it, she bent earth up in a dome over the both of them. She heard another muffled scream and increased heart rate but didn't stop. Repeating her motion several times, she slowly moved their diving bell down through the rock about 100 feet, before bending the earth back into the ground above them.

"Okay, Lady. Here's the story. My name is Toph, I'm the best earthbender in the world and I just saved you from whoever those bullies were chasing you. I'm going to take the gag off now, so don't scream, okay? I've got sensitive hearing, and this place is going to echo."

She felt the woman nod and was surprised as the lady's heart rate lowered quickly. /Whoever she is, she's got great emotional control./ The lady took a step and started to fall when Toph stepped in to support her. "Sorry about that, I forget that it's dark for you people in places like this." Toph slid in a foot and pulled out a simple bench for them to sit on from the cave wall. "Here, have a seat and I'll let you know when your boys are gone."

The lady nodded, glad for the support and unexpectedly spectacular rescue. "Thank you very much, young Toph, for your assistance." Her voice was a polished alto; Toph could hear some of the affectations that meant she came from money, but they seemed to have been blunted; more common.

"So, Lady - What did they want with you?" Toph asked curiously.

"They must have wanted to rob me, I guess. Although I have little enough to rob, as of late. When I figured out that there was more than one person following me, I did not wait for them to make demands."

"You mean you would've been okay with one person following you for unknown reasons?"

The lady laughed, a sound that made Toph smile in response. "One I could have handled. Perhaps two, with a proper plan. A woman must know how to protect herself and..." she paused and Toph noticed that she left some words unsaid. "... and I've had plenty of practice." The lady laughed and Toph found herself feeling like laughing along.

Toph felt the steps above them of the searching party and fell silent. She laid a hand on the arm of her charge and she fell silent as well. Toph continued to focus on the movements of the bandit party, but spoke quietly to her companion to dispel the tension that was building in the near silent darkness. "They're above us. They've found the mark that would have been left as a part of my bending us down here, but there's no tracks connecting my circle to you. They'll eventually get bored and move off – as long as they don't have an earthbender."

Toph felt the lady nod beside her and her whispered voice. "So... you can see them using your bending."

Toph grinned. "Yup! It was the first bending I learned how to do. I'm blind without it."

Toph felt the lady nodded again. "I should have guessed sooner. A master earthbender named Toph – who is blind yet can still see. I see I have been rescued by a celebrity. Thank you again for taking the time to help an old woman."

Toph felt her cheeks warm and was thankful that the cave would hide the blush. "Well, I do what I can when I can, ya' know?" Toph felt the men gather and leave, loping back to wherever they had come from which was neither down the road to Chin or up the road to the Temple, but off into the forest and away from them. "They're leaving now – headed East. We'll wait until I can sense them any more, then we'll go back up and be on our ways. What is your way, anyway?"

Toph felt the lady's heart speed up in anxiety for a moment, then asked her question. "I don't wish to be presumptuous, but... do you know where I might meet the Avatar?"

Toph thought about it. "Well, that's a difficult proposition. Ya'see, Aang is in the South Pole for the next month, putting together a peacekeeping force that'll protect the colonies from all these bandits. Other than that, he sometimes visits the New Temple, North of here. You'll have to wait and stay sharp to see 'im, though – 'cause he keeps odd hours what with the whole Balancing-Spirit-Bridge thing he's got going. And you probably won't get to meet him, even if you do catch a glimpse." Toph considered what she had said for a moment and decided that she had been polite enough answering the question without giving away any sensitive information.

"Well... I'd just like to thank him personally for ending the war – I'm sure he's heard it before, but... the war had a large influence on my life for a long time and now that it's over... Let's just say that, for the first time in a long time, I have hope again for the future." Toph noticed that the searching above had stopped and the thugs were moving away.

Toph shrugged. "Well, I hope you do get to talk to him sometime. It's not like he doesn't like getting praise, even if he pretends he doesn't." Toph punched the wall to make sure that no one was still above them or nearby, causing the lady to jump. "Anyway, they've gone so it's safe for us to emerge. It's been nice rescuing you, Lady."

The lady bowed to Toph in the darkness and took her hand for the trip back up. "Likewise, Toph. I hope to meet you again someday – perhaps I can cook you a meal as thanks." Toph grinned in the dark and brought the shell of earth back up around them. "It's a deal!" Toph began the repeated motions that would lift their capsule back to the surface and went over in her mind the rest of her trip.

Back on the surface, Toph pointed the lady in the direction of the road back to the New Temple and gave her directions to get there. The lady thanked Toph again, then both women turned and headed back on their way. It wasn't until Toph was boarding the courier boat that would carry her to the South Pole in only three days of near total blindness that Toph realized... /Hey! I never got that nice lady's name!/

* * *

Okay, next chapter should be Zuko's plot again. Azula might be back, too - I'll have to see how much time Zuko hogs, the Drama Lord. ;-p Their plots are still /kinda/ linked, since they're both in the Fire Nation.

... For now. =D


	9. Chapter 9

Hi, folks! Welcome to the first renovation of my story. Anyone who paid attention will notice that Chapters 11 and 12 are gone (they will be replaced shortly, not to worry) and that the terrible joke I played on Toph is missing. After setting up my storyboard/timeline; I noticed that I had Toph arriving at the Southern Water Village on the same day she saved the Mystery Lady just a day's travel outside the new Air Temple - a trip that I estimate, walking and by ship, to take about two weeks.

Now - Toph can move when she wants to - but even _she_ can't exceed the speed of Light. ^^;;

So: Zuko packs and Azula has her scene here on the same day that Toph executed the rescue. I wrote a new scene to replace Toph's arrival that was supposed to go between these two scenes, but when I finished writing I decided I wanted it to be the last scene in it's Chapter. Once I rewrote Azula's 'awakening', I decided that I wanted to give the the end of the Chapter as well. SO - since I can't have two endings to one chapter, I've moved it to a chapter of it's own (the next one). ;-)

I'm not going to give any shout-outs here - although I have collected a few during Hiatus. I think I'll stack them on top of the next chapter to give people more to read than a single scene. ^^;; Any way - reread Azula's scene here even if you read the old version. I mentioned above that I changed it - I think it's a lot better now. ;-)

Enjoy! ^_^ Vm

* * *

Zuko paced back and forth at the foot of the bed, his hands gesturing as he spoke. "I'm going to need the greens, to blend in. I'll need some clothes to practice in. I'll need something presentable in case I'm called upon to act as Fire Lord. I'll need something comfortable for times I don't have to be wearing anything specific. I'll need a change of clothes to wash clothes in. Extra socks. Extra shorts. Spare shoes."

Mai reclined across the bed, smirking at Zuko's manic state. "You know, Zuko. I haven't seen you this... animated since your coronation."

Zuko stopped short, glaring at Mai for a moment. His hand run halfway though his hair, which he had cut short back into the shaggy bush he last wore at the end of the War, then blushed, still frowning. "It's an important project. The Colonies may not be solely under Nation control any more, but I still have a responsibility to my subjects-"

Mai moved to the end of the bed as Zuko explained himself, sitting up on her heels and interrupted. "-And it's been seven years since the last time you were able to go play Knight Errant. Don't worry Zuko; I can run the Nation for a few weeks, while you're gone."

Zuko's blush spread and he looked down at his feet. He remained silent for a moment before he spoke quietly, "That- That's not the only reason I'm going. I wouldn't go if that were the only reason." Zuko looked up at Mai, a vulnerable look on his face.

Mai scooted forward, reaching up to take Zuko's face in her hands. "It's okay, Zuko. I know. Just... have fun and... come back this time." Mai smiled tenderly and Zuko reached his finger up to intercept the tear falling down her cheek.

He pressed it to his lips and smiled. "Well... at least I'm not leaving a note, right?" Zuko grinned and leaned forward, leaning his head against Mai's. Mai's smirk returned and she tilted her chin forward to peck Zuko's lips.

"You're damn right you're not leaving a note again. I'll finish the job I started last time."

Mai punched Zuko in the arm, hard. Still Zuko laughed and the two separated. Mai moved over to Zuko's closet and together they finished packing Zuko's trunk.

* * *

Azula laid in bed. She had woken up just a short while ago, but did not open her eyes. She heard a light, raspy, male voice humming a tune she couldn't quite place and was hoping to figure out who was in her hut before she gave on that she was awake.

"It's okay, Sis. I know you're awake." Azula turned her head and opened her eyes as her eyebrow arched. Zuko stood at the basin she used as a sink, washing dishes. "I thought you could use some help – hope you don't mind."

Azula sat up, shaking her head. The sheets pooled around her, her gray shift sliding down off one shoulder as she tilted her head sideways to inspect her brother. "You're wearing that uniform from Iroh's old tea shop in Ba Sing Se. And your hair – you've cut it? The council wouldn't have approved of that..."

Zuko grinned and set a final dish aside to drain. He lifted a tray and brought the steaming teapot and two cups that rested on it to what served as her table. "Come on, Azula; you've almost got it."

Azula sighed, the puzzle taking shape in her mind. She slowly turned, hanging her legs off the bed and reaching for a faded red robe laid across the foot of her bed. "You're a hallucination – which means the dishes aren't washed and there's not really any tea. I probably don't even need to get dressed." Azula stood, securing the robe around herself with the belt sewn onto it, then moved the few steps and sat across from her brother.

Zuko grinned, lifted the teapot and poured into two cups. "Ding! Got it in one, well... mostly. Enjoy the tea." Zuko winked as he lifted his cup and sipped.

Skeptically, Azula raised her own cup and sipped tentatively. The tea splashed through her mouth, leaving a warm streak down her esophagus into her stomach where the warmth seemed to spread gently through her entire body. "This... this is good tea!" Azula drank deeper, finishing the cup, then leaned back in her chair to savour the drink.

Zuko grinned and refilled her cup. "Iroh is a great teacher – I was lucky to have him raising me for those three years I was away. Knowing how to brew a really good pot of tea is one of the smaller things I picked up – although Uncle didn't think it was a small thing when he was drilling me on it." Zuko winked and he and his sister shared a chuckle as Azula took another sip.

Azula tilted her head, trying to piece something together. "Not that I'm complaining – but how does a hallucination make tea? And how do you stay so solid – normally my terrors are more smoke than substance and gone before, well before I wake up, I suppose."

Zuko clutched at his chest, pouting. "Oo! That gets me right here, Sis. You think I'm a terror?"

Azula grinned. "Well, no. You're definitely not a terror. But you can't be Zuko – he doesn't crack jokes like that. So – who are you really?" Azula sipped her tea again, for the first time enjoying her insanity.

Zuko grinned, sipping his tea again. "That's a pretty difficult question. I guess the closest thing you could call me would be an echo. What I know is based on what you know, since I'm in your head. But anything I do to interact with the world is actually done by you, it's your insanity that makes you see me doing it instead."

Azula considered, tilting her head. "But... then that's just what I /think/ is going on, right? Since you're using my head to figure this out. What if I'm wrong about what I suspect is going on?"

Zuko shrugged. "You've been crazy for years – who am I to tell you you're right or wrong?"

Azula squinted at him. "That sounds like a line I'd use when I want someone to change topics – tell me what you know that I don't."

Zuko grinned. "There's no getting anything past you, is there Azuza. Here's one thing you've figured out but don't know you've figured out yet – You've been crazy longer then just after Ozai went off to burn down the world. You've even been crazy since before Mai and Ty Lee betrayed you at the Rock. You've been crazy, well... for a long time, really."

Azula sipped her tea and nodded, a strange feeling squirming in her stomach. "Go on..."

Zuko sipped his tea in response, but continued after a moment. "You and I have the same heritage. We both inherited Sozin's karma along with Roku's destiny to work towards balance. I reconciled the two, and worked to repay my karma by helping Aang."

Azula looked down and to the side, her stomach seeming to sink. She set her teacup on the table and held her arm to herself. She knew Zuko spoke true, even as he said the words, and dreaded what he was about to say next.

"You, though – you never were one to let anything dictate your actions. Always in control of yourself and most anything else that you touched." Zuko smirked. "That's actually something I've always admired about you, Sis. But your control depended entirely on your mental balance. When you lost that balance, you lost control – and the insanity started setting in, eventually making it impossible for you to recover."

Azula sniffled, pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs.

"I went crazy for a little while too, you know. I was lucky to have Uncle to help me – not just when I reached my tipping point, but for the three years leading up to that too. But as you slipped, you started pushing everyone away. Without support, you fell."

Azula did not cry. He head laid against her knees and the tears flowed freely, but she did not cry.

"Now, it looks as though you've hit bottom. And your insanity, after spending a few years running around like a hyperactive lemur on a sugar-high, may have settled down into a more relaxed, long-term arrangement."

Azula looked up, not bothering to wipe the moisture from her cheeks. "May have?" Something about that caught at Azula's ear and was setting off alarms in her head. Zuko grinned over the rim of his teacup – a grin that Azula remembers seeing not on her brother's face, but rather in her mirror. She shook her head and stood, pacing.

"Okay. I'm insane. I've got 4 generations of bad karma stacked up and no easy out, like you had with helping the Avatar. But this isn't right – until you showed up this morning, I've never been this lucid." Zuko's eyes followed his sister as she paced, grinning at how her mind was working. "Zuko might have told me something about his paradigm shift during his visits, but I doubt it. That means that you really are an echo of him – not an element of my own insanity. But why would you be here? What's in it for you?" Azula ceased her pacing and stared at Zuko accusingly.

Zuko shrugged. "You my sister, Azula. You're the only family I have left, with the possible exception of Mother. I've had to live through my Father's downfall – which I was a major cause of - and now get to watch him fade away over the next few decades; a broken man, dead to the world, raving at the walls and sucking his thumb. But, with Roku's legacy, there might be a chance to save you and give you the same second chance at life I got." Zuko gestured to take in the hut, it's interior, and the small plot of worked soil just outside the window. "And judging from what you've managed, you wouldn't mind taking another shot at life. Maybe this time without the evil."

Azula considered and sat, her depression forgotten for the moment. "How does this work?"

Zuko leaned forward and laid his hand in the center of the table. "You choose: Decline my offer, I go, and you stay insane but harmless here on this island, alone, for the rest of your life. That's the Easy Way." Azula sat motionless and silent, waiting for the other option. "Or: You take my hand and my help and stay mostly sane while you pursue your destiny. That's the Hard Way."

Azula considered Zuko's words when he paused, so he continued. "Achieve Redemption, though and you'll have finally kicked this insanity nonsense." Azula slowly lifted her hand and moved it to accept Zuko's offer. "Well... for the most part."

Azula lifted her eyebrow and stopped her motion. Instead, she set her hand on the table next to Zuko's. "For the most part? What do you mean."

Zuko grinned and shrugged; his eyes gleamed playfully. "You've cracked, Azula. There's now way around that. No matter how well the cracks are repaired, they'll always be there, hiding just under the patches and paint. But... being slightly cracked isn't all bad. Look at me; or Uncle. Especially Uncle."

Azula grinned back. She had already made her decision when Zuko mentioned the Easy Way; she never had been one to back down from a challenge and she wasn't about to start now. She took Zuko's hand and he squeezed it gently. "Good to have you along, Sis."

Azula nodded, lifting her teacup for another sip feeling something she hadn't felt in a while – hope.


	10. Chapter 9 point 5

Okay, let's clean out my inbox, shall we? ^^;;

Thanks go to SS-Jun and Sugarlumpspark for adding this fic to their Favs. =) And to Sugar: good to know that I'm intriguing people with the product of my imagination - I am continuing the story, as evidenced by the construction going on, and hope to see it through to the end. ^_^

...Then maybe write some nice, smutty Zuko/Sokka one shots, as they've become quite the enjoyable pairing for me since I started this fic. ;-)~

To Klerenallan Sombra de Plata; my apologies for any dashed hopes you've had from the alerts you've been getting. However, you should find that the alerts you get now are of actual progress. =) Thanks for hanging in there, my good Silver Shadow. ;-)

As I am not updating my Gundam Wing one shots, I'll acknowledge my followers here: Knight Wulf, sallzy, wingedbackwolf and Twilight DeLuna - thanks for enjoying my old stuff. Writing those fics served as my own personal 'It Gets Better' in High School - and I'm glad that they're still enjoyable now. ^_^

[Shameless Plug] If you've not read Auld Lang Syne or Santa Baby - they're still good reads even out of season. If you're fans of the show, go check 'em out here on , in Anime/Gundam Wing.[/Shameless Plug] ;-p

Finally - to my dear, dear CorvoDeLuna. Don't worry - your having added me to Fav Author, all my fics to Fav Story, Author Alerts, and Story Alerts - here and on two fics that aren't going to be updated - in _**no way**_ screams 'Stalker! Stalker!'. ;-pp Glad you're enjoying my writing. ^_^ Vm

Well - now that I can move all those notifications out of my inbox - On With The Show!

* * *

In a small clearing deep in a forest, two men sit at a simple wooden table in conference. On one side, an old man wearing the robes and armour of a Grand General of the Phoenix King's Army. On the right, a middle aged man with shaved pate and long pony-tail, dressed in the gold-trimmed black over green of the Grand Secretariat to the Earth King of Ba Sing Se.

"General Bujing, surely you can't be suggesting that I risk exposing my sleeper agents, simply as a distraction?"

The old man slammed his tea cup on the table, its contents splashing out onto the table. "Long Feng – we must destroy the troops that were captured before they are interrogated. We cannot infiltrate the prison where they are being held by force of arms alone – it takes earthbenders to fight earthbenders. And if you loose an agent or two – well, traitors of any stripe are expendable by nature."

A young man, dressed in simple leather armour and bearing a striking resemblance to the General, moved forward to wipe up the spill. A covert glance, nearly imperceptible, passed between him and Long Feng. The man nodded as the General continued to explain his plans to the ex-secretariat, and retrieved a teapot.

"Here, Father. Allow me to refill your cup."

Bujing waved acquiescence, annoyed- "Yes, yes Zhan! Carry on!" then back to Long Feng- "Where was I?"

Long Feng grinned. His eye glinted. "You were explaining how I could best use _my_ forces as lambs for _your_ slaughter..."

Bujing nodded. He did not catch the subtle emphasis on Long Feng's words. "Of course- so you see..."

Zhan poured his father another cup of tea, appearing to take great care. He covertly shook his arm, a nearly imperceptible motion, and small flakes fell from his sleeve into the teacup. He set down the teapot and presented the tea to the old General. Wrapped up in his discussion, Bujing did not even acknowledge his son's presence. He lifted the cup to his lips, sipped, then set the drink down.

Zhan returned to stand at the side of the room, while Long Feng continued to grin and nod at the old man. The General's words slowed slightly and he tugged at the neck of his robe. Sweat beaded, then started dripping down his forehead. His eyes unfocused and glazed over as his speech grew disjointed and lowered in volume.

Two minutes later, the General fell out of his seat onto the floor with a soft thump.

He did not move. He did not breathe.

Long Feng and Zhan shared a glance and a grin. "Well now, Long Feng. Shall I put your plan into motion, now that we know the Pretender to the Throne is planning to visit?"

Long Fen nodded, standing and brushing off his robes. "As per our agreement, Child. I shall see to it that the captured ruffians are made useful again." He gestured to take in the tea and the dead General. "You will see to cleaning this mess up?"

"Quite, my lord. Please, do come again if there is anything I can do to assist your plans."

Long Feng passed by the dead general, sniffing in disdain. "I shall miss him – he was one of my favourite pawns – but he had outlived his usefulness. See that you do not repeat his mistake, Zhan – or else be sure that you have someone ready to light your own pyre." Zhan nodded and Long Feng swept out of the tent then called for an agent to carry out his orders.

Zhan waited for Long Feng to leave, then allowed his face to contort into the grimace he had been repressing. _Be smug now, would-be-king. And hope that **you** remain useful to **me**_.

Zhan looked back to the still form that was his father only moments before. _A pity, Father. You always had believed in the expandability of your troops._ He walked to the corpse, shaking his head, then lifted the body over his shoulder and carried it to his father's bed. _Too bad you never extended that logic, in that troops are only as useful as their commander._ He dropped the corpse unceremoniously across the bed. _My troops, Father – they are going to rule the world._ Zhan grinned at his father's dead body in anticipation, then shook his head and regained his composure. He schooled his face to be carefully neutral, then left the shack after knocking his father's teacup to the ground with a faint shatter.

As he left, he addressed the one old soldier standing guard outside the shack. "My father said he was tired after his meeting. He left orders with me not to be disturbed for at least one hour – redirect any emergency situations to me - I will be in my tent. Send me the Night Squad for immediate assignment."

The soldier saluted, "Yes, Sir!" then ran off to carry out Zhan's orders.

Zhan nodded, waited for the guard to be far enough away, then allowed his grin to escape again. He suppressed his urge to skip and stalked to his tent to await the arrival of the assassination squad.

* * *

In case we've forgotten (or we've not already checked the Avatar Wiki [which is where _I_ went to find a villain]) General Bujing is the guy that Zuko spoke out against at Ozai's war meeting and served as the catalyst for Zuko's mutilation at his father's hand.

We don't like him. =(

So I had him killed. ^_^ Vm

Now - Is anyone **_not_** worried about what Buji's progeny is planning for our beloved Smexy-Prince-Turned-Smexier-Fire-Lord? =))


	11. Chapter 10

Hello FutharkAtlantean, DualIdentity, Warrior679, Astropuppy, and Somariel. Thanks for favoriting the story and/or adding it to your alerts; sorry it's taken me so long to make it useful. ^^;;

Hugs to Saharra Shadow, whom I am quickly developing a crush on, and who has also added me as one of her favorite authors. ^_^ Vm

Please note that I do have the time to respond to any and all reviews - just haven't got many yet. So drop any line at all, and I'll say hi. ;-p

Without further whinge-ing:

* * *

One new whinge - no changes here. It's actually in the right place at the right time - go fig! ^^;

* * *

Aang sat in lotus, facing about half a company of non-bending soldiers. He chanted, softly and rhythmically, while gently bending the incense on the air to suffuse the chamber with a light, relaxing scent.

Aang focused on opening his Seventh Chakra, zooming out his awareness so that he could take in the entire room before him. With his eyes closed and depending only on his sixth sense, he could barely make out the essences of the troops before him who had volunteered to meditate with the Avatar this morning. As he studied them, he could begin to pick out ten whose Chakras were tinged blue, green or red – the sign of people who had the potential to bend, but had never developed their ability. Atrophied through lack of use, it would require years of dedicated training for any of them to gain even marginal bending – and none of the soldiers before him today would ever become particularly powerful.

Still, Aang made a mental note of who had this untapped potential and would hold them back at the end of the meditation to let them know. Already, there were a good score who were now joining him in the evenings to learn how to gain access to their bending. With the exercises he was working out, they should be able to continue their development on their own once they went back to their homes for a short leave before being sent in to protect the colonies.

Still, the one thing he had hoped to find was still stubbornly missing from his search – the faint tinge of yellow that would signify someone with untapped airbending ability. _"Well; you've only been searching a month, the available pool is very limited, and airbenders probably would not wind up working as soldiers, anyway."_

A soft pop sounded from just behind Aang. He knew that the candle had just ignited the very small pocket of powder that had been worked into it at hourly intervals and that it was time to bring the meditation to a close. He gently allowed his consciousness to return to his body, feeling himself almost waking up in slow motion. He altered his chant and brought it to an end and started giving quiet instructions to his audience.

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen. Focus for a few moments on feeling your body again – don't try to move until you've reoriented yourselves. Then stand slowly and carefully. Enjoy a nice stretch, and you're good to go! Thanks for meditating with me everybody!"

The group gave a soft chorus of "No – thank you."s as they followed Aang's instructions and filed out to their next assignments. Aang walked around the room, collecting the ten soldiers who might choose to become benders. He noticed from the corner of his vision a light blue dress and dark tan skin just around the edge of the entrance. He smirked, letting her take her time in approaching him as he went about playing counselor to his newest bending students.

After a few minutes, seven of the ten soldiers had jumped at the chance to train with the Avatar, two more were excited about learning bending, and one soldier had respectfully declined. Katara peeked her head around the corner after the last soldier had left, looking happy but slightly distracted. Aang walked up and pulled her into a light hug, tilting his head down to lay a light kiss on her forehead.

"What's bothering ya, Katty?"

Katara leaned her head forward onto Aang's shoulder, stuck again momentarily at the solid strength in Aang's muscles. She grinned and squeezed Aang. "Is it that obvious?"

Aang giggled "Only when you're thinking about fifteen different things at once. What's up? Hey! Wanna go penguin sledding this afternoon? I haven't been in **ages**! It'll be fun!"

Katara laughed, _"Some things will never change."_ then sobered quickly, _"I hope I don't change that."_

Aang moved his hands to Katara's shoulders and gently held her away from him, searching her face. "Okay. Now I **know** something's wrong. Spill!"

Katara bit her lip, smiling nervously. "I... It's... We need to talk. It might take a while – when do you have time?"

Aang considered, "I'm headed to the Earth Camp to check in and make sure Toph hasn't splattered any of the benders with her 'training'. Then I needed to swing by the Fire Camp to give some more lessons on Sun power. Sokka's having some trouble with a couple of the criminals the Fire Council sent for rehabilitation, so I was going to fly out to the bivouac to check in there. Then I wanted to get a quick bite before evening mediation with my new bending students. I should be clear from about sundown on. How does that work for your schedule?"

Katara shook her head. She had students to train, a city to help construct, several hours in the middle of the day with nothing planned, and finally a couple meetings with the Northern waterbenders and Healers that promised to last well into the night. _"I'll have to move one meeting up and leave the other for another day."_ Katara set a smile on her face to hide her anxiety, not wanting to send Aang off worried. "I'll make it work. I'll see you tonight, all right, Aang?"

Aang grinned, problem solved. "Sure! No problem, Katty!" He leaned down to capture Katara's lips, but Katara slid her face away just a bit, kissing back as Aang's lips found her cheek.

"Then I'll see you then, Aang!" and Katara turned and left a blinking, confused Aang behind her.

* * *

Aang swooped in for a landing outside Katara's one-room igloo, off on the edge of the water-third of the bender's compound. He flicked his glider back into a staff and gently tapped it on the wall, knocking lightly.

"Is that you, Aang? Come in!"

Aang leaned his staff against the wall and with a deep breath, entered Katara's room. Katara was standing in front of a ice-crafted dresser – not much more than a bar in a tall box – hanging up what Aang had come to think of as her 'work clothes': the blue-on-blue patterned blouse and pants that allowed her her full range of motion and offered her students a clear visual aid to follow her bending forms.

Clad only in her shift, Aang's eyes were drawn across the dark skin of her neck, shoulders, arms and legs. He shook his head, clearing it as he realized that Katara had said something that he had missed entirely. "Huh?" Aang said intelligently. Still standing in the doorway, he turned and bent up a double handful of snow from the ground outside and started moving it around in a circle to give himself something to focus on other than Katara.

Katara turned, grinning but with a sad look in her eyes. She slipped on a dark blue robe, then crossed the room to stand before Aang. Aang peeked at her from the corner of his eye. _"Well. Now I can't keep __my eyes off her face. That's better... right?"_ Aang thought, dragging his focus again to his ball of water.

Aang felt Katara's tug on his improvised fidget and reflexively passed the ball to her control. Katara moved it around her side of the circle, then passed it back to Aang. Wordlessly, they fell into the old training habit. _"Wow. It's been years since we did any sort of bending together..."_ Aang closed his eyes, losing himself into the practice form almost like a meditation.

Katara's mouth quirked, watching the relaxed, contented smile that crept across Aang's face. She decided to let the form play out a bit longer, before broaching the subject she had asked Aang to visit her for. After some time, Aang remembered that Katara has called him here for a reason. He opened his eyes and saw Katara's smirk. "What?"

Katara's voice was gentle and amused. "Nothing, Aang. It's just nice to see you happy again. I don't remember the last time I saw you smile like that."

Aang blushed, still passing the globe back and forth. "It was when you accepted my betrothal necklace. But this is fun, too – now that the balance of the world doesn't hang in the... balance." Aang shrugged lamely.

Katara giggled, sobering shortly. "It's a little about that, Aang. Why I asked you over tonight."

Aang cocked his head, curious. "Huh?" he asked again.

Katara's gaze shifted from Aang's, towards the floor, but she kept the ball moving. "It's the question I asked you when you came in. We've been engaged for six years now – when are we going to get married?"

Aang gulped, and the fidget flew towards the wall. Katara grabbed it and bent it back just short of impact, saving her room from being splashed, then slowly brought it back around to pass it again to Aang.

Aang's cheeks turned bright red. "S-sorry, Katara. I don't-"

Katara grinned. "It's okay. I suppose it might have been a bit sudden. You've been gone more than two years, working in the Central Temple. I've been busy down here. First helping re-settle the surviving prisoners, then re-working the Southern Tradition from the few waterbenders we got back who weren't mad, and finally getting this place ready for what we're both busy with now."

Aang's blush slowly retreated as he noticed the sadness creeping into Katara's smile. Her eyes focused on nothing in particular, she continued.

"Aang, I want you to do something for me."

"Sure, Katara. What's up?"

Katara took a deep breath and blew it out. "I want you to take a few days, and meditate on you and I getting married."

Aang scoffed. "That's no problem, Katara. I've thought up at least a hundred ways we could get married. Like while surfing on giant koi, or gliding around the North Air Temple on gliders, or-"

Katara shook her head. "I don't want you to think about our wedding – I want you to meditate on how we could make it work, how it would impact our lives, how we would raise a family, all that."

Aang tilted his head, frowning. "Do you not want to get married any more, Katara?"

Katara bit her lip. "I- I'm not as sure as I used to be? I've been doing a lot of thinking on it, since the last time you left. I just want you to do some thinking too – then we can talk about it, okay?"

Aang could feel his eyes welling, but he refused to let himself cry. Still, his words came out in a babble, "I'm sorry I had to go, Katara. I didn't want to be gone so long. I love you and-"

Katara shook her head, employing the same restraint on her tears as Aang. "I love you too, Aang. There's nothing in this world or the next that can change that. And I'm not even saying that we're not going to get married – maybe it's just the time apart talking. That's why I want you to meditate on it – so I can see if it's just me, or if it's really what I fear."

Aang swallowed, squeezing his eyes shut as two drops ran down his cheeks. He wanted to turn and run, to bring the igloo down around them, to collapse in a crying heap, and about a dozen other, conflicting actions. Aang took a deep breath and noticed that he and Katara were still following their practice form, the automatic movements unbroken despite their conversation. Keeping his eyes closed, he focused on the form; letting the ebb and flow soothe his emotions until he could think clearly again.

Katara worried her lip as she watched Aang's face as he struggled with his emotions. She felt a tug on the water and almost lost her concentration, then let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and refocused her efforts on her form.

The small globe of water orbited between them, as the Moon continued to rise above the camp.

* * *

Phew! That was more difficult than I imagined. . Don't you hate it when you sit down to write something, get out five paragraphs, then realise that the situation wouldn't actually work that way? Blech. Xp Anyway, sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up. I'm going to send Zuzu a dream to try and make up for it. =3

Shout out to Kahuna Burger - I am officially accepting your challenge. Once I get a seed crystal for the fic, the rest should follow. I'll let you know. ^_~

* * *

Hey, Kahuna Burger - if you're still reading (and you may have changed your Alias by this time) - What was your challenge? ^^;;;;; Send me a PM if you still want whatever fic it was I agreed to write for you. ^^;;;;;;;;;;


	12. Chapter 11

Okay - it took too long. I am sorry. ^^;; Author Notes to follow. Enjoy!

PS: Gets risqué at the end. Just so's ya' know. ;-)

* * *

Aang glided over the ice floes in the general direction Sokka had pointed him. "_After a while, all the ice starts looking the same. I don't even know if it would have survived – Hey! There it is!_"

Aang glided into a slow, downward spiral, landing at last on the edge of a odd protrusion in between two larger floes. He grinned, looking up at the curving walls. "_It's been a long time, hasn't it?"_ With a blast of air, Aang floated himself to the rim. Then with a wave of his hand, he blew the snow out of the center.

He surveyed the nearly perfectly spherical cavity, and the faint crack that traveled up to the rim on one side and down from the rim on the other. He settled himself in the center, and ran his hand over the strands of white he found there.

_"Hey, it's Appa's fur! I wonder how the calves are doing, by now?"_

Aang felt his eyes tearing up, before his sniffed and wiped his face on his sleeve. _"This isn't what you came here for, Aang. Pull it together, and let's get this done with."_ Aang settled down into Lotus, and began the breathing exercises that would help him enter a meditative state.

He had tried to avoid Katara's request for two days. He didn't want to think about losing her; didn't want to face that he had lost his first love when he wasn't even looking. Katara, for her part, managed to give him all the space he could ask for. Aang hadn't seen her for more than 5 minutes total since their discussion.

His eyes closed, he could still feel the echo of their bending, the ebb and flow reminding him sharply of how interacting with Katara made him feel. He shook his head, recovered his breathing pattern, and began working into his meditation again.

It was finally Sokka who had brought him out of it. Aang grinned, remembering. Sokka had caught Aang '...moping around like an otter-penguin whose mate had been eaten by a seal-lion...' one too many times, and demanded Aang come with him for some 'Manly Man Time'. Apparently, that meant sipping at a cup of ice water while Sokka binged on sea plum wine whilst, and at the same time, baring his soul to his friend who was rapidly becoming inebriated.

And so it was last night, just before Sokka had drunkenly told Aang "...Whelp! It's time for me to get home. *hic* Suki said she'd wait up for me tonight with a shu- a shepshi- … a bonus treat! Ya wanna come with me?" Sokka waggled his eyebrows in a way Aang didn't even want to guess at the meaning of. He'd just blushed, thanked Sokka for the drinks and that he'd find his own way to patch things up with Katara.

"S'your losssh, liddle buddy! Suki makes *great* shaved ice cones!" and staggered off to find his wife, singing an old Earth Kingdom love song a little too loud and a little too off key.

Aang giggled again at this memory, then frowned. _"Spirits! How am I supposed to meditate when I can't even achieve basic focus?"_ Aang shook his head again, slowed his breathing and continued fighting to clear his mind.

* * *

Zuko prowled the deck of the clipper, one of the few metal ships that remained seaworthy after the long disarmament. His bodyguards, after spending the first day on board jumping to keep up with their charge's sudden and unpredictable changes of direction while pacing, had taken up slightly more sedentary positions where they could still jump to Zuko's protection if needed but not end the day exhausted from the extended cardio.

The ship was newly christened the /Constant Flame/ and flew, at Zuko's repeated command and over the Captain's strong objections, the normal blazon of the Fire Nation rather then the Royal Banner that custom dictated. Zuko paused in his pacing as the command tower caught his glance. He stared at the tower, remembering an unadorned con and a simple red pennant. He shook his head and stalked to the bow, rested one foot on the railing and gazed out over the ocean towards the Colonies.

Zuko's eyes closed as he shivered, a chill wind seeming to blow up his spine despite the casual red and brown tunic belted securely at his waist. He sniffed the air - it smelled of salt and cold. He opened his eyes and took in the icebergs moving past the ship and the bright blue beacon on the horizon. Excitement bubbled up inside him. He turned back to shout "Uncle! The Avatar!"

Zuko froze, noting the peach sunset, flat watery horizon and utter lack of icebergs or Arctic breeze. He blinked, then turned slowly back to gaze at the sea, hoping the sunset disguised the color he could feel heating his face and neck. _"Well. That was odd. I spent half my childhood on the sea. Now I'm hallucinating after three days- with another four to go until landfall."_

Zuko ran his hand up his face and through his hair, stifling a groan. He turned and walked briskly towards his room for the voyage, not stopping to see if his bodyguards would follow. "I am retiring to my room to meditate. Bring a serving of dinner when it's ready." His guards shared a glance as the Fire Lord whisked past, shrugged at each other, then turned to follow.

* * *

Katara looked up as she noticed Aang's breathing change its rhythm. As she watched him, a fond grin tugged at the corner of her month while Aang slowly pulled himself out of his meditation. The grin fell when Aang reached up to wipe stray dampness away from the corner of his eye. Katara knew it was time to say something.

"Aang... it's Katara." Katara whispered not moving from her seat against the wall of Aang's Iceberg. She knew that Aang wasn't always aware of his surroundings coming out of deep meditation and sudden shocks could sometimes result in unintentional bending.

"Hey, Katara." Aang croaked, his voice hoarse from disuse. He cleared his throat with a 'harrumph' and continued, "How long was I in this time?"

Katara stood, collecting the packet of Aang's trail rations she had brought with her. "I'm not sure. I've been here for most of a day; but you've been away from Camp for three." Katara walked over to Aang while he began moving his arms.

Aang slowly stretched his arms out, making sure to work every muscle slowly to get the kinks out. "Two days is all it takes, then, to reverse eight years of building a relationship? Seems a little too easy, don't you think?"

Katara felt a twinge from Aang's words. "Aang, I-"

Aang made a dismissive gesture. "It's okay, Katara. I didn't mean that the way it came out. It's just... hard, I guess."

Aang stood and Katara offered him the rations. Aang accepted the packet without looking up and let his arm fall to his side, clutching it with his other hand. Katara looked away as well, desperately wishing she could think of something to say. Finally-

"Aang, I-"  
"Katara, I-"

Aang and Katara both started and glanced at each other, embarrassed. Katara moved to turn away, but Aang reached towards her. "No, wait-"

Katara stopped and turned back to meet Aang's gaze. Aang looked back, his lips slowly turning up into a grin. He reached his hand up to Katara's face and laid it gently against her cheek. "You are beautiful, Katara."

Katara did look away this time, blushing furiously. "So you've said. Many times."

"That doesn't make it any less true."

"It doesn't change our situation any less, either."

Aang lowered his hand, gaze moving to the ice between them. "I know. ...I know."

Aang growled lightly and turned away, avoiding Katara's gaze. "W- Would it make a difference if... if..."

Katara reached out and placed a hand on Aang's shoulder. "If what, Aang?"

"If-" Aang sighed, his shoulders sagging. "I don't know."

Katara moved her other hand onto Aang's other shoulder. "In two years of thinking, I couldn't come up with a way, either. The only way we would work out; is if I'm not leading my Tribe, or if you're not the Avatar- and neither of those can happen."

Aang met Katara's gaze, a strange look in his eye. "Maybe not forever- but what about temporarily?"

Katara searched Aang's gaze, then swallowed hard. She started remembering every moment she had spent with Aang – times spent playing, fighting, comforting. The torches dying in the Cave of Two Lovers. Aang's limp form falling to the ground under Ba Sing Se. The sunset over the city from the balcony of the Jasmine Dragon where they shared their first kiss.

Katara tried to speak; but her voice eluded her for a moment. Aang's emotions ran bare across his face and Katara swallowed to try again. "Aang – I love you, and all that you are. My most painful wish is that I could spend the rest of my life with you. Painful for how deeply I want it – and how ruthlessly the World you've done so much for seems dedicated to denying us."

Katara's gaze shifted away from Aang's. "If I gave in... I don't know that I could ever give it up..."

Aang placed his hand gently to Katara's cheek and turned her face again towards his own. Katara saw the wet trails running freely down Aang's cheeks. "I am aware, for the most part, back four Avatars. Roku; Kyoshi; Kuruk and Yangchen. Beyond that, there are only flashes, here and here."

Aang took a breath, his face moving to a grin. Katara waited for him to continue, confused. "There are five flashes, going back centuries, of women and men We have loved so strongly that- despite the passage of time, despite the death of both lovers- I can still recall with crystal clarity."

Aang's grin grew into a full smile, although his tears still ran and his eyes still showed his sadness. He moved his other hand down Katara's cheek tenderly, tracing her face with hand and eye, not avoiding the streams on her cheeks that matched his own. "I know that- in another thousand lifetimes- We will still be remembering you the same way."

Aang leaned forward and placed a gentle, lingering kiss on Katara's forehead. "I don't know if I'll be able to give you up, either- But I also know that if I don't at least try, We will feel the pain of not trying for just as long."

Katara inhaled sharply and felt her face smile even as her tears continued, unabated. She slipped her hand behind his neck and pulled him down to kiss his lips. "Aang, I- We-" She shook her head, laying it against Aang's shoulder. "So, we just pretend that we're not who we are, for a bit. Is that... okay; as the Avatar?"

Aang gestured, pulling a sheet of water over the bubble and causing it to freeze clear. The wind that had started stopped almost immediately and their combined body heat began warming the space. Katara watched through the ice as an aurora began to color the sky. "No- but I can handle it for one night."

Katara looked back to Aang's face, she knew she was about to give in to what had scared her for years- and she found herself oddly at ease with it. "For one night?"

Aang's stomach flip flopped as he felt his chakras dis-align and some of his access to the Avatar state slip away but; as he gently moved a strand of Katara's hair back into line with the loop it had escaped, he felt a sense of peace settle in despite the disquieting sensations. "For one night - I'm just Aang, the boy from the iceberg."

Both Aang and Katara's hearts were beating fast, their heads light, their cheeks flushed. Katara grinned, and with a husky tone to her voice she had never heard herself speak with before, "Then let's make it count, Aang."

Aang pressed his lips against Katara's, hungrily. Katara surprised herself with the urgency it awakened in her as she returned his every effort. She passed her tongue roughly across Aang's lips and stifled a moan as his tongue darted against her own. As they fenced, gasping noisily for breath between sorties, they tore at each other's clothing – not always bothering with the buttons and catches provided.

Every time their skin touched – Katara's hand hooked behind Aang's neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss; Aang's fingers slipping beneath Katara's sarashi to caress her shoulder blade; Katara's knee intruding deliberately between Aang's legs and upward; Katara's breasts pressing deliciously against Aang's strong chest – sparks of pleasure seemed to explode between them.

Katara was vaguely aware of a cold breeze blowing from heel to neck that threatened to bring her from the haze of 7 years' passion denied, but relaxed as she felt herself laid down gently against an expanse of quickly warming fur. She smiled as she pulled Aang down to lay against her. Finally, with a shared gasp, Aang and Katara joined- the first time of what would be many that night.

Their shared knowledge that they would never again be together as lovers lent an urgency to their lovemaking that, whenever one of them would pause to reflect on the past, would make it both the happiest and saddest moment in their long lives – but never a moment either would ever regret.

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Okay - I've only written hot hetro action once before this - and that was between Relena and Duo.

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Don't ask.

Anyway, my sincerest thanks to anyone still reading this rag. This was the chapter that's had me blocked for months - I hope to have the rest written and up at a much quicker pace.

Big new thanks to DayMoon89, and her decision to add my story to her favourites - glad you like it. ^_^

Next chapter should be a quick drabble based on an idea that came to me while writing Aang's de-powering for the evening - what happens to the Avatars while they're sans their mortal host. =) After that... *checks storyboard* We're on to ~Day 16 since the start of the story wherein Zuko arrives at the Colonies, Azula makes a decision, and Toph makes a triumphant(?) return to the story. Stay tuned! ^_^ Vm

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What's this? Is I back? Maybe! =P


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